Day Three Matthew 5:6-7
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy. – Matthew 5:6-7 (NLT)
Learn From the Word
Jesus moves on from the kind of mindset His true followers will possess – a poverty of spirit, a mourning over sin, and a right view of self – to the kind of desires that will subsequently grow inside of them. Being emptied of self and sin, followers of Jesus will be marked by a hunger and thirst to become holy, to have a right nature, and to walk in the ways of God, seeking what He seeks. Jesus knows the longing of humanity, and He says God brings true satisfaction to those who begin to see through His eyes. This is the kind of person who has experienced mercy and now also has a desire to show it to others.
Put It Into Practice
How did the emptying exercise from Day One go for you? If you’ve already taken time to put it into practice, share your experience with someone! Pray and ask God who He might want you to share it with.
For Families with Kids at Home
When our kids misbehave, it can be easy to fall into the trap of punishing them, rather than gently correcting them. Is there a middle ground as a parent between dishing out punishment and being a “pushover”? What would it look like to show your kids mercy today? Take time to explain to your kids that God showed each of us mercy when we didn’t deserve it and we’re called to show mercy to others!