NOVEMBER 23
MATTHEW 7:21_Not everyone…
Since Jesus begins this teaching by saying not everyone, there must be some exclusiveness. Can mercy be exclusive? If so, who decides who is excluded? Would it be Jesus? How does He decide it?
Mercy is a God-like attribute.
Mercy is a Jesus quality.
Mercy covers sins.
Mercy covers shortcomings.
Mercy covers failures.
Mercy rescues the undeserving.
Mercy brings the lost to shelter and safety.
Mercy does this by its very nature of being merciful.
However, one of those hard realities of life we prefer to avoid, is mercy is not limitless.
That is hard truth!
Mercy has no limit for askers, seekers, and knockers. But arrogant pretenders, aka hypocrites, will experience that hard truth.
Personally, I don’t think mercy had limits in the Garden of Eden. But free will caused it to pull in the reins, put on the brakes, and turn off the power.
That’s when a phrase like, not everyone, came into play. Mercy is for everyone, just as life without death was for Adam and Eve, but everyone has the freedom to reject it.
PRAYER
King of Kings, Please help me never to reject Your mercy. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.
Christ offers mercy to those who will receive it—I will receive!
The Works of Her Hands 