The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe
"Vessels of Mercy"
We fail each other, inexcusably and too often. Whether by commission or omission, born again believers do not always act and relate toward one another as the brothers and sisters we are in Christ. Thus, the New Testament frequently calls us to the mercy we have received in the Lord Jesus becoming the mercy we bestow, "forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye" (Colossians 3:12-13).
"Forgiving… as Christ forgave you?" Such grace is only possible through the presence and working of the Spirit of Christ's indwelling, motivating, and empowering presence. This gift, which abides in every believer, constitutes us as "vessels of mercy," that is, our Lord's merciful heart lives within us to enable our capacity to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us" (Romans 9:23; Ephesians 5:2). This most blessed truth makes possible our forgiving others, but also calls us to great challenge. Through Christ, we can forgive, bless, and pray for offenders - as commanded by Him - regardless of how severely we may have been hurt or offended (Matthew 5:44). Indeed, if we fail to forgive as believers, we tacitly deny who Christ is as God's provision of mercy not only as be basis of our personal reception of forgiveness, but also of our capacity to forgive. Our own sins, great as they were, did not prove to be beyond God's ability to forgive through Christ. Nor will the sins of others against us overwhelm His capability in us whereby we walk in mercy toward those we perceive as having wronged us.
We can all imagine scenarios of offense whereby it seems impossible that we could forgive. In fact, every act of mercy stands as impossible for us to perform by our own means. God's standard of mercy is far too high for us to fulfill in and of ourselves. "For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him" (Psalm 103:11). Consider that He made forgiveness possible by sending His eternally beloved Son to be tortured and slain by the very ones He acted in mercy to forgive. This includes us all because all our sins made necessary such a monumental act of grace. Our Heavenly Father call us to the same quality and action of mercy, a feat so far beyond our personal capacity that proper consideration renders us hopeless. Spiritual and Biblical consideration, however, raises us up to be merciful even as we have received mercy. "God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work" (II Corinthians 9:8).
If we believe we cannot forgive, we actually suggest nothing derogatory about ourselves. We rather slander the God who promises His motivation, leading, and enabling whereby we bestow mercy as we have received mercy. Is He that present, involved, and active in us as believers? He is, but we must believe the truth regarding mercy in order to walk accordingly. Again, let us accept the fact that no inherent capacity to forgive according to God's standard of pardon exists in us apart from the Lord of mercy Himself. In every believer, however - every "vessel of mercy" - the potential to forgive dwells in as a fountain of forgiveness ready to spring up within us, and spring forth from us. Our calling involves the privileged responsibility to believe the truth, confess the truth, and thereby walk in the power of the truth, the truth of mercy received by us becoming mercy bestowed through us.
"He that believeth on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water."
(John 7:38)
"Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
(Ephesians 4:32)
Weekly Memory Verse
"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
(Galatians 4:7)
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