to show mercy

a verse or two

"The Lord said to Abram, Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing."
Gen 12: 1 – 2

A Psalm (Ps 105:8 – 15)

[God] is mindful of his covenant forever,
of the word that he commanded,
for a thousand generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant, saying,
'To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your portion for an inheritance.'
When they were few in number,
of little account, and strangers in it,
wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another people,
he allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their account, saying,
'Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.'

Spiritual Walk and Musings: A covenant with Abraham.

It was with sadness this week I heard the news the CEO of Apple has had to step down due to illness. I’ve never owned any “Apple” gadget like an iPod or iPad or iPhone, but I do admire how Steve Jobs could take his dreams and ideas and make them into reality– that is not an easy thing to do. (Although I am sick of Apple’s preoccupation with patent lawsuits against other gadget companies – but that could be a USA thing.)

When it was first announced that Steve Jobs was ill several years ago, if I remember correctly what I read back then, because of his wealth and influence he was able to receive medical treatment that was only available to an elite few – so modern and ground breaking was the treatment. And so it is sad it seems the treatment didn’t work. What is even sadder though is how many people die each day unjustly because our wealthy western lifestyle limits medical help to those where simple basic medical care could help tremendously. This lament is not against Apple or Steve Jobs but more how we in the west are so comfortable, comfortable to the exclusion of others’ well being. Why not muse on what Peter Graystone has to say on similar issues but allow the muse to wander back to things here in Richmond and New Zealand.

“Some four thousand years ago in a city in present-day Iraq there was a curious disturbance. In this place of many gods, each with its own controllable idol, one wealthy man claimed to have had a remarkable revelation. It was that there is only one God, and that he is invisible.

So convinced was he of this discovery that he was prepared to leave his comfortable home and set off on a nomadic journey to a land which the God he worshipped told him was to be the dwelling of his unborn descendants…[read Ps 105: 8 – 15 and]… see what God achieved so that this fragile group could be established as the people of God. People were protected even though they were 'few in number'; a home was found for landless and 'wandering' people; 'oppressed' people were given protection; powerful people who acted unjustly were 'rebuked'.

When God's blessing is given to any group in the world these are the signs that accompany it. They were evident when the Hebrews were a weak and humble tribe; they need to be evident in every nation, humble or powerful, that claims to worship the same God today.”
[copied from 365 Ways to Make a Difference by Peter Graystone]

Something to do: Some listening, thinking and reading.

Listen with extra attention to the news this week and bring to mind places in the world where a strong group appears to be oppressing a weak one. With the above Bible reading in mind, ponder God's attitude on these issues: Are those who are few in number made secure? Are landless people sure of a home? Are oppressed people protected? Are powerful people who do not live by these standards receiving the rebuke they deserve? And regarding issues here in NZ, why not read the article by Susan Guthrie and Gareth Morgan entitled “Rot at Centre of Modern Economics”, published on Tuesday Aug 23, 2011 in the NZ Herald (try their website). Again ponder it all with Ps 105: 8—15 as a paradigm of God’s way.

To Ponder and Pray: to show mercy.

Lord God of history, may those who have known what it is to receive mercy be convicted of the need to show mercy, so that all who are weak may rejoice in your protection. Amen.