Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.
There is a very pleasant formality in the form of letters in the first century. The writer introduces who they are, and acknowledges the person or peoples they are writing to. They say something nice.
In this case, Jude offers mercy, peace, and love.
These are not random words pulled out of thin air. They are three things that only God can give and that humans need to survive.
Mercy is the quality of God that is willing to overlook our offenses. Mercy is the essence of forgiveness. God’s mercy is why we have hope of avoiding eternity in hell.
Peace is more than the absence of war. The peace that Jude offers is the peace that passes all understanding. It is the calm assurance given to the believer in Jesus Christ. An assurance that no matter what travail haunts us in this life, it will be of no consequence when we enter the presence of our God.
Love, agape in the Greek, is the acceptance and affection of our Father in heaven for His creation.
Imagine a life without any of these elements. Without hope of mercy, there is only fear. Without peace, there can be no rest. Without love, there is no reason to continue.
Application: When you talk with God, thank Him for the abundance of mercy, peace, and love that he gives us.
Food for Thought: How do these three qualities change a person?
We are changed from takers into givers. We freely receive these through Christ, with a God given desire to share these with others. We may not know scripture at the time, We simply want to tell others about Jesus.
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Matthew 10:8, Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
Thank you, Ron!Loading...
That is a beautiful insight. 🙂
I will take your words as encouragement in being a better giver