How do we define Mercy?

June 5 - June 9, 2023 | Always Peachy Devotionals | Mercy Week 1

Welcome to June!

Incredible how rapidly 2023 has gone, right? I have just gotten back from my first major conference of the year, and I’m exhausted. What a wonderful time! But I’m ready to be back in my regular schedule.

I always try to be aware of what God is doing in my heart and in my life before I start writing these devotionals. A long time ago, I realized that usually what God is teaching me is exactly what other people need to hear too. And recently, a lesson I’ve been learning over and over again is how much mercy God has for us.

Mercy is one of those over-used Christian buzzwords we employ when we want to sound holy or spiritual. Maybe that’s just me being jaded. That being said, it doesn’t usually come up in everyday conversation. Really, you only hear the word Mercy in epic movies or shows where characters have to throw themselves on the court’s mercy. Or they’re begging for mercy for someone they love. Or it’s a random hospital show, and the name of the hospital has mercy in it.

I think Mercy gets used so much that we’ve lost the real meaning of it. That happens with words sometimes: We use them too much and we grow accustomed to their meaning. And then, well, the meaning loses its emotional resonance in our hearts.

So let’s take this month and reclaim the concept of mercy. It’s far too important to let it fall by the wayside of archaic English vocabulary. And, of course, not only are we going to talk about what mercy means and why it matters, we’re also going to talk about how to live a merciful life (without compromising your mental health).

Sound like a plan? Awesome. So this first week of June, we’re going to start of with the basics of Mercy, and there’s no better place to go for the basics than Jesus Himself.

• June 5 - What Jesus says about mercy

• June 6 - Where we see mercy in action

• June 7 - Mercy as a character trait

• June 8 - The difference between Mercy and Grace

• June 9 - Why mercy is so dang hard

I can’t wait to dig into this study, you guys. I needed it so much. Sometimes God gives me a kick in the pants to get my eyes back on Him, and that’s exactly what this series has done for me.

And as far as a memory verse? Well, since we’re talking about mercy, there was really only one verse that jumped to my mind. It’s one of the most important verses in the Bible (not that they aren’t all important), but it gives us a very clear outline of God’s expectations for us. Our verse for this week is Micah 6:8.

Other translations use a particular literary device that makes these expectations easier to remember: Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly.

Something about all of those ending in Y always made them easier for me to remember.

I was always fascinated by this verse, because “do right” makes sense and “live humbly” makes sense. But how does “love mercy” fit in that list? It doesn’t seem to jive with God’s expectations, not like the others do. Doing right is obedience. Living humbly is submitting. Loving mercy is—what? That’s what we’re talking about this week, guys. I can’t wait to share what God has shown me.

I pray it will be a blessing to you.

Amy

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