But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Luke 6:35-36
“God loads with His favor those who delight in exercising mercy. According to thy ability be merciful: if thou hast much, give abundantly; if thou hast little, take care even so to bestow willingly a little.”
Severinus of Agaunum (d. 507) in The Lives of the Saints by Alan Butler, 1894 (Global Grey edition, 2019) 11 February reading.
Want loads of favor from God? Severinus shares the secret: delight in exercising mercy. This is not a magic formula for manipulating God. It’s fulfilling your rightful role and taking your rightful place in His abundant economy as a joyful distributor. We are here to bestow mercy through generous giving according to our ability.
It’s been a fruitful time in Czechia and Slovakia. Reply if you want a copy of the trip report. Jenni has arrived safely to Vienna and after some meetings here today, we travel from Vienna to Budapest to Lviv tomorrow. There’s still time to contribute here to support GTP’s efforts to deliver help and hope.
However, I must say that I am unsure of my connectivity over the 7-10 days. If these Daily Meditations do not post or post and different than normal times, I’d appreciate your prayers for safety and fruitful ministry. And from my heart, this has been my prayer as I approach my beloved Ukrainian brothers and sisters.
Father, bring peace by your Holy Spirit and grant Ukrainians the grace to show mercy to their Russian aggressors so they are not overcome by evil but so that they can overcome evil with good and so they can receive loads of favor from heaven. Hear my prayer in your mercy I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.