Reap in Mercy

Hosea 10:12  Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.

I am sorry that it has taken longer to post this writing, but a strange thing happened. I use Word to write with, and usually it is a good program. It has saved my work more times that I really care to admit. Although, this time what it had saved is no all that I had written. I don’t believe there are any mistakes taking place in God’s world, so it had to be!!

I believe that I need to go about this, from a different viewpoint, or in a different way. This is the part where we start to reap the harvest of mercy. We all know that if we are to reap mercy, then we must sow seeds of mercy. Our harvest depends on us, and how much mercy that we sow. I personally have a great need for a bountiful harvest every day of my life, so I need to sow a great amount of seeds of mercy. 

Before I really get started, I feel the need to go ahead and address those, which are looking at the unbeliever around them. Matthew 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust It is written in the Word of God, so that is just the way that it is.  Moving on…

We not only want to reap mercy in our lives. We also require a bountiful harvest. We should realize by now that any form of mercy that might come upon us, comes from the Lord. In the book of Lamentations there is a beautiful picture, of how our mercies are achieved.

Lamentations 3:21-25  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.25  The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

I do believe that one of the greatest mercies, that we have been given, is the written, Word of God.  How could my hope be placed in anything else?   Doesn’t reading these five small verses give you great hope, that you have made the right choice?  I can’t escape the fact, and I really don’t want to either…it is all about the relationship that we have with Jesus!!

Part of the time, which David spoke about the mercies of the Lord, he called them tender mercies. In the book of Psalms David made that reference ten times, and I believe that he made this reference according to the giver of the mercy, and not the particular mercy received.  Let’s look at something else that David had to say about our Lord. 

Psalms 34:7-9  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. :8  O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

Ok, here we go again back to the relationship. How else could we sow any seed, or seeds of mercy without this relationship?  It is not naturally a part of our nature, to do good to anyone, other than ourselves. Naturally we are self-centered, and very selfish. We are born with a sin nature, and we sin trying to satisfy our flesh, and the things of our flesh!!

Paul wrote the cure for our sin problem in this verse.  Romans 6:23  For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus is the complete package, and the only solution for our sin condition. Paul also says a couple things about reaping our harvest. 

2Corinthians 9:6  But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

Paul also gives us a warning: Galations 6:7-8  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

The only part of this writing is the same is the definition of mercy, from the old dictionary of Webster’s in the 1800’s. I really like to use this, because during that time the Word of God took precedence over political correctness.  

Mercy

MER'CY, n. [L. misericordia.]

1. That benevolence, mildness or tenderness of heart which disposes a person to overlook injuries, or to treat an offender better than he deserves; the disposition that tempers justice, and induces an injured person to forgive trespasses and injuries, and to forbear punishment, or inflict less than law or justice will warrant. In this sense, there is perhaps no word in our language precisely synonymous with mercy. That which comes nearest to it is grace. It implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency, but exercised only towards offenders. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of the Supreme Being.

You can tell me that is not a long row to hoe, unless Jesus is wielding the tool!!   Ain’t God good?

       ….Much Love