THANKFUL

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Lord, may I never become an “old stuffy.” We’ve seen them. When You were here with us, these “look-at-me-I’m-oh-so-pious” religious elites, harassed You every chance they got. They slammed You as a fraud and hypocrite when You dared to dine with those evil “tax collectors and sinners” (Matthew 9:9-13).  Oh, they knew all about their religion and boasted how well they kept the rules. Sadly, in their self-righteousness, knew nothing of mercy. Looking at Your dinner companions, they only saw a group nameless low-lifes of society. You saw them as people You cared for and loved, who needed Your love and redemption. But that is Your nature, Jesus. You are all about loving people, about relationships. You look beyond our life’s history, our failures and sins, and see our potential greatness as Your follower in Your kingdom. Teach us how to “love others as You love us,” (John 13:34), and help us understand what You mean by “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

May I show mercy as Your mercy has been shown to me, and may I learn to love others as You have loved me, Jesus. Amen.