grace and mercy

wall paper craft

It's interesting to read 2 Samuel 9. I was truly inspired by how David show grace to King Saul's family, even though King Saul wanted to kill him. He did not allow resentment and bitterness to build up within him. When King Saul died, he wept for him and wanted to bless his family for the sake of the covenant he made with Jonathan, Saul's son . In 2 Samuel 9:3, he asked,"Is there no one still alive from the house of Saul to whom I can show God’s kindness?”  When he found out about King Saul's grandson Mephiboseth, who was lame at both feet, he "restored to him all the land that belonged to his grandfather Saul and allow him to eat at his table". Such grace! How can it be possible except through the Lord. 


And I also see the Lord's mercy upon Mephiboseth, who has lost his family and possession, and worst, the use of his feet. The Lord used David to bless him. 


Grace is to get something that you do not deserve; unmerited favor. Mercy is compassion. God is abundant in both. 


Ephesians 2:4-9 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

If the Lord is gracious and merciful to us who are sinners, we need to show grace to others just like David. He understood the Lord's grace so he was able to extend the same grace towards others. 


Are you experiencing difficult people, or unfair treatment from people at your work place, school or even from your family? We can ask the Lord to help us to extend grace towards them.  We have freedom in Christ to love not to hate. 


Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.