INTRODUCTION
There are many
sacrifices we can
make for God and the
Kingdom's sake. We
can bring changes in
our lives that get
us right out of our
comfort zone, a rare
and fleeting state
in the Kingdom
anyway!
MONUMENTAL MOVES
We can move from one
city to another, one
state to another, or
even from one side
of the world to the
other on the call of
God, something I am
very familiar with.
These kinds of
changes are always
fraught with
challenges and
potential culture
shocks that can
affect the destinies
of many lives. This
was the case when I
moved from New
Zealand to Australia
and twenty five
years later, when my
family moved to
America in 1999.
OBEDIENCE COSTS!
I believe that a
component of God's
mercy is to
sometimes hide
things that are
ahead. If I knew
beforehand what the
cost would be to
relocate from the
other side of the
world, I may not
have come!
One thing I learned
in the process was
the full extent of
what the scripture
means in 1 Samuel
15:22, "...Obedience
is better than
sacrifice." You
cannot obey God
without it costing
you something, as in
the current case of
a young pastor in
Iran who faces
execution if he does
not renounce his
Christian faith. He
is prepared to
sacrifice his life
in obedience to
God's call!
Salvation is free,
but the call may
cost you everything!
THE GREATEST!
However, there's one
thing greater than
obedience and
sacrifice, and
that's mercy! James
2:13 says, "...Mercy
triumphs over
judgment." You will
be remembered more
for one encouraging
word that waters a
single dry soul than
a mountain of
correction you may
have brought to
many!
'SHOW NO MERCY!'
Mercy is mostly
absent from the
natural world.
Certainly, it is
rarely displayed in
the wild! In human
conflict, some
battle cries have
even been heard to
declare, 'Show no
mercy!' God's Spirit
in us gives us the
ability to display
some of His
attributes that are
above the natural.
As He is merciful,
so we can be.
God highly values
the sacrifices you
make to Him, but He
appreciates the
mercy you show to
others more! Let
your hands and feet
be His today,
blessing in His name
wherever you go.
