Mercy Me!, October 8
By Dan Held
Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants…. The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go. But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. “Pay back what you owe me!” he demanded (Matthew 18:23,27-28 NIV).
Over the years I have found myself praying, whether for someone else or for myself upon being sick, words such as this: “Please, God, pour out your healing mercies upon…” in the full faith that God would always be merciful, one way or another. During worship liturgy it has been in my corporate prayers, as well. Maybe you also have said these words in a church service: “Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.”
Mercy is a wonderful gift to receive, and there are days when we all need a lot of it—days when we’re in pain, or when nothing seems to be going right for us, when we’re tired of waiting, and our patience has worn thinner than thin. These are the days when we need it the most, yet find ourselves least inclined to be merciful to others.
Jesus spoke of the kingdom of heaven as being a two-way street when it comes to mercy. We get what we give. As in the case of the unmerciful servant, we cannot expect to receive what we refuse to give.
As a caregiver to my wife, who has survived cancers of both breast and colon within these last four years, I have to remind myself often that giving care means showing mercy—mercy in the form of patience when hers is worn out. Mercy in the form of forgiveness when hers is worn down, a smile when she no longer can, and a prayer of faith when she feels most in doubt. When cancer shows no mercy, we must show all the more of it.
The fifth Beatitude of Jesus is, “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7 NIV). Sometimes this world seems merciless and we are tempted to join right along, offering no resistance to the contrary. But today can be different. With the help of our merciful God, we can practice being merciful where such is needed the most.
Pray: Caregiving God, we confess that sometimes we care for others, but show little mercy in doing so. Help us to be different today. Help us to sow seeds of mercy and kindness for those who have lost their own. And bless us with the gift of that which we, too, will one day need the most. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Your Turn: Learning from the lesson of the unmerciful servant, let us give to another this day what we will need to receive one day for ourselves. Let us care enough to show mercy.
Dan Held, Cancer Caregiver
Dan is a cancer caregiver who lives with his wife (Sue) of 55 years in Dayton, Ohio, where Sue has been free from breast cancer and colon cancer for two years! Dan is an ordained pastor and a licensed therapist with a heart for families touched by cancer at any stage. He is dedicated to promoting the message of more love and less fear in all aspects of his ministry and life. Check out his blog at www.danielkheld.com.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
