Learning to Love Mercy

"What does the LORD require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy and walk humbly with your God." -Micah 6:8

*16 Weeks
*$14,625 Needed

I have been studying and meditating on the sayings of Jesus in the New Testament, and it has been changing my life. Moreover, the conversations with dear friends that are resulting from these practices have altered the way I live in and view the world. This group of friends and I are being challenged by and wrestling with various aspects as we seek to be obedient to the individual convictions of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives; and through this we have incited one another to live into the simplicity of the Gospel’s truths. The vital question that we have been asking one another is, does Jesus want us to take such words literally, “Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you” (Matt. 5:42); “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? (Matt. 5:44, 46a); “Do not invite your friends… in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” (Luke 14:12b-13); “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matt. 6:25). Oh how often we rationalize the meaning of these hard words. I am on this journey of trying to listen to Jesus more carefully and obey more faithfully. I really want to love the LORD with all of my heart, soul, strength and mind, and love my neighbor as myself. Yet, if I ignore the difficult sayings of Jesus, I am not loving enough, and I devalue the abundant life that Christ died for me to live. The staff that I serve with and the young women who I lead are striving to give away and serve more during this holiday season, because so many people are in need, including us. This is not a guilt trip, but it is the words of a struggling disciple of Jesus who is trying to serve and love God and people more faithfully and is forever in need of His amazing grace.