The sixth beatitude which Selwyn now discusses is: ‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.’

In his introduction of this beatitude, he says: “First we need to understand a little more of what is meant by the term ‘heart’. In Scripture it has reference to what goes on in the very centre of our being. The heart is more than just the seat of the affections; it is the fount from which everything proceeds.’

The verses for today’s reading and meditation are from Matthew 15:1-20. These verses cover an incident when some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus and asked why his disciples didn’t wash their hands before they ate. This was in regard to a purification ritual that involved the washing of hands before eating a meal. Verses 18-20, provide a summary of the incident: ‘But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean.’ 

Selwyn then outlines the processes involved when a person becomes a member of God’s new creation. ‘Often it is pointed out that the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ is a gospel of new things. It offers men and women a new birth, a new life, a new hope, a new happiness, and one day, when we arrive in heaven, a new name. The promise of a new heart is given by God in Ezekiel 36:26: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you.” When it comes to spiritual matters, the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.’

This issue of a new birth is often associated with John 3, when Jesus teaches Nicodemus, if you recall verses 5-8: ‘Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.’” The Spirit of God is sovereign and His work in renewing the human heart, by writing His laws in our heart so that we can then follow His ways - is in accordance with God’s plan for us. 

Consequently, Selwyn concludes his study with the following sentence: ‘His goal is to purify our hearts and we must yield our all to Him until that is accomplished.’ I think it is more like that we are given a new heart once we accept Jesus as our Savior and then we must allow God to show us how to regulate the beat of our new heart so that it always follows the rhythm of His heart beat and gradually becomes stronger. What do you think?

Selwyn puts forward some final views on the fifth beatitude: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’ (Matthew 5:7).

He says that some people take the meaning of this beatitude too far by saying that ‘we can obtain God’s mercy only when we are merciful to others’. Selwyn introduces a very important point: ‘It is a rule of biblical interpretation that Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture, and we must never interpret a verse of Scripture in a way that contradicts other verses. He goes on to say that; ‘Our salvation (acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Savior), depends on our repentance, and when we repent then our sins are forgiven and we are guaranteed a place in heaven. … (if) we then refuse to ‘give forgiveness to others it does make it difficult, or even impossible, for God’s forgiveness to reach the very core of our lives. This is why there are many who do not have a realised sense of God’s forgiveness.’

I don’t think I entirely agree with Selwyn. It’s my view that once we become followers of Jesus that the attitudes expressed in the beatitudes, become over time and in varying degrees, our own attitudes. They are similar to the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, I would expect that a person who is a Christian and seeks to become more like Christ and prays for the Holy Spirit’s strength and guidance –  will demonstrate an increasing expression of mercy in their daily dealings with people. Do you agree? Is it too harsh to say; as faith without good deeds is dead, so too, faith without love and mercy is also dead?

On this issue, I can’t help thinking about Matthew 18:21-35, The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. Listen to the words of verses 32-35: ”Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. ‘This is how my Heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’”

The good news is that Jesus’ love for us is so great that I believe he does provide us (his followers) with the spiritual ability to love and also to demonstrate mercy to others! 

Selwyn’s concluding remarks are good, as is his prayer: ‘The act of giving makes us more able to receive. When we adopt these attitudes towards others we not only express mercy and forgiveness but we experience it deep down in our own hearts and lives.

Heavenly Father, I know that I cannot wrong another without harming myself. Resentment can so easily rise within me. When it does please help me to quench it with the support of Your Holy Spirit. For Your own dear name’s sake. Amen.’

Selwyn continues to discuss the meaning of the fifth beatitude: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’ (Matthew 5:7).

He asks the question – are you a merciful person? “This is one way in which you can tell whether you are, or are not, a merciful person. … (if you) find yourself in a position of power over someone who has harmed you, do you find you enjoy the feeling that you can exact a penalty from them? Do you say to yourself ‘This person has wronged me and treated me badly – now I have the opportunity to retaliate? That is the very opposite of being merciful.

If, however, when a person has treated you unjustly there is in your heart a feeling of being hurt but no desire to hurt back – no feeling of contempt or scorn for the person concerned – then you are a truly merciful person. You are demonstrating that you are a child of your Father in heaven and are on the way to experiencing spiritual health and happiness.”

Before I became a follower of Jesus I remember that revenge and retribution were major drivers in my relationships with other people – and they are consuming passions; as there is never enough revenge to be exacted, to cancel the hurt suffered. Now, I can look back and see how destructive these emotions were – they eat away at your own spirit to a far greater degree than the original feeling of hurt. I can also see that mercy is not a natural human response but it is a gift from God which benefits our own spiritual health; in that we are then spared the ‘acid’ effect of holding onto feelings of revenge and retribution. What are your views on this?

The verses (Hebrews 4:12-16) set for reading and meditation are good, especially verses 13-16, as follows: ‘Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’

On of the best lesson I have learnt over the past few years, that if we feel hurt or wronged by a person, is to pray for them. Ask God to bless them in their work or their family relationships – especially, in the activity that led to the hurtful action or word against you. Prayer is amazing – it invites Jesus into our area of need – and with confidence we will be reassured that our imperfect prayers will be perfectly answered. So today, if there a remnant of pain still held in your memory over some past hurt – bring it to God in prayer – tell Him exactly how you feel and as you approach His throne of grace – know, that His mercy will flow to you in your time of need.

I like the connection Selwyn makes with grace in regard to gaining a better understanding of mercy. I found it interesting that Paul in his letters to Timothy, added the word ‘mercy’ in his greeting, as follows: ‘Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’

The commentary Selwyn quoted is a good summary of the difference between grace and mercy: “‘While grace looks down upon sin and seeks to save, mercy looks especially upon the miserable consequences of sin and seeks to relieve.’ This helps us to see mercy in a wider dimension: mercy is compassion plus action. A Christian who demonstrates mercy will not only feel compassion for someone, but will not be content until they have done something about the plight of the one with whom they have come in contact.

The story of the Good Samaritan … is a classic illustration of how to be merciful. Others saw but did nothing. The Samaritan took the badly injured man to an inn and made provisions for his comfort. Mercy is compassion plus action.”

In thinking about today’s study; I’m coming to the conclusion that we, as a society, are less inclined to show mercy now than say, twenty or thirty years ago. The way we treat refugees, and the homeless, is a reflection of just how little compassion and action is being put into practice – what do you think?

I like today’s prayer: “Gracious, loving and merciful Lord, help me not only to understand mercy but to put it into action in my life. I don’t want to stop at being - I want to move on to doing. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.”

Selwyn continues to explore the full meaning of the beatitude: ‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy’ (Matthew 5:7).

He informs us that: “W. E. Vine says that a merciful person is not simply possessed of pity but is actively compassionate. In other words, he or she will  not be content with feeling merciful towards someone but will try to demonstrate that in appropriate ways. … When seeking to understand mercy we must take note of the fact that God Himself is merciful.”

The other aspects which Selywn introduces is a discussion on what mercy should not be confused with; it is not a laissez faire attitude which ignores the plight of people, or an attitude which tolerates evil and is inactive in dealing with it.

“God is not only merciful but is righteous and holy and just. … So if we think of mercy at the expense of truth and law we will have a false understanding of what is involved in being merciful.”

The combination of love, mercy and justice is shown in John 3:16-18, ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned but whoever does not believe stands condemned already … ”

All the world stands condemned, nothing we can do – is enough to save us. God has mercy on us because of his love but he is also just. So we are saved, by an act of grace, and the penality due to all of us is taken upon himself – at the cross. If you ever wonder, where is God when there is war on this earth – just remind yourself of the Cross. God is merciful and he acts accordingly – I’m convinced that he actively limits the harm we do to each other. Given our nature we would be extinct by now if he was not intervening in our daily affairs – what do you think?

I agree totally with what Selwyn has to say – so I’ll just highlight what I think are the important points.

” … when we talk about having a disposition to be merciful we are not talking about something that is natural – something we are born with – but something that is spiritual. It develops within us in proportion to the amount of time we spend with Christ in prayer and absorbing the teaching given in His Word. The closer we get to Christ the more His merciful nature is imparted to us by the Holy Spirit. …

When we have the right attitudes then it follows as the night follows the day that our actions will also be right. So don’t think that having a merciful disposition is something we gain through a powerful exertion of our will; rather, it is something that flows from Christ to us as a result of our relationship with Him, and then from us to others. We are not meant to control our Christian experience, but to let it control us. … Christians are something before they do something.”

Today’s prayer is: “Merciful and wonderful Saviour, transform me so that I become like You I pray. I cannot be a truly merciful person without your help. Come and think and love in me. For Your own dear name’s sake. Amen.”

One point I would like to add is that we can pray for these spiritual attitudes to be strengthened within us – and I think we are often prompted to do just that – especially, when we discern that our actions don’t demonstrate, attitudes like mercy – to the degree we should. Do you agree?

 

Selwyn commences his study by reflecting on yesterday’s conclusion: ‘when we open our minds and hearts to the words of Jesus and accept His truth, then we find they are good for us – good for our souls and also for our bodies.’

Of interest today is that Selwyn brings together a number of good observations. In the Further Study there are the verses from Jeremiah 31:31-34, (vv 33-34 follow): ‘This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the Lord. ’I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, “Know the Lord,” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.’ 

As I said, yesterday, it’s important to understand that we are ‘not talking about a natural disposition (to be merciful) but a spiritual one.’ It is a disposition which is deposited into our hearts by Jesus and not by our own self-efforts.

I also like the verses from 1 Peter 2:21-25 (Further Study section), especially verses 24 and 25: ‘He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. Verses such as these tell us that Jesus is the Overseer (supervisor) of our souls; and, in love, will lead us and enable us to be more like Him; such that we, in turn, will become more merciful – just as He is merciful. Do you agree with this view?

The main thrust of Selwyn’s study, for today, centres on John 15:1-17. I recommend that during your quiet time with God, to slowly read these verses and meditate on the richness of the message they convey. The following verses stand out for me: ‘I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. … If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you all this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.‘

There is a clear choice: one, to follow the ways of many in this world, ‘who live in hate and with constant thoughts of vengence and retaliation in their minds’ which ends with ‘the ultimate devouring of themselves’. Or, to follow Jesus, to remain in His love by following His command to love each other, in the same way that He loves us. To experience His joy in us and to be filled with life. Selwyn concludes his study with this sentence; ‘The disposition to be merciful and forgiving develops within us to the degree that we walk hand in hand with the Master.’ (the supervisor of our souls).  I fully agree with this statement.

The prayer for today is: ‘Lord Jesus Christ, I see again that I cannot live against You without harming my own life, for life works Your way and no other way. I am so glad I am following Your way. Amen.’

I found the study for today to be of great value in lifting myself out of the darkness of today’s news reports – especially the current events occurring in Lebanon and Israel. From a human perspective I can’t see a solution that has any chance of bringing peace to the Middle East. Only Jesus, our loving God can bring peace to a troubled world – yet the sadness of this particular conflict is that many think they have God fighting on their side! What are your views on this topic?