A couple of days ago I wattched the movie Les Miserables. The beautiful music was the backdrop of a story of redemption, of mercy, of justice.
Justice and mercy--the twin edges of one sword. I have always struggled with justice, believing it should be paid in full. But mercy, the Lord's mercy, answers the demands of justice. For those who have wronged my family, I want justice. Try as I will, I had and have no mercy for them.
But how can I profess to beleive the Lord, to believe in the Lord, if I deny the mercy which He gives me, each and every single day? The short answer, the only answer, is that I can't. And that is where the third component of this beautiful story comes in: redemption. For when I give mercy, I am redeemed.
So, for today, I am grateful for the Lord's redemptive powers, which tempers justice with mercy ... for me, for everyone.
At times when I have the wrong spirit, I have wondered at the necessity for my having mercy if Father already has that covered. See, I told you it was the wrong spirit. He even has mercy for that.
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