Love Mercy

Love mercy.

Don't ignore the nudging of God's Spirit,
His voice in your ear,
His shout from life's street corners,
to love mercy,
lavish mercy.

Pour out mercy
with kind generosity,
with humility,
without conditions,
without disdain,
and not because it's deserved,
it's commanded,
demanded,
or a required task,
a duty.

Bless with mercy,
be extravagant,
without reserve,
without hesitation.

Don't wait for a request.
Don't wait for a word of repentance,
contrition or desperation.

Be the one to take the first step.
Leap forward, anticipate.
In tenderness release mercy
and as mercy is given,
forgive.

If it's a part of what you know needs to be done,
if you have been wronged
offended,
betrayed,
if anger rules you,
find its festering root and forgive.

You must,
for your own sake,
forgive.
Yes, you must!
Do it and let that be the end.

God will enable you.
Ask Him. He will help you.
He did it before you and for you.

Unforgiveness is a poison,
eating its host
from the inside out.
Mercy and forgiveness
a balm,
an antidote,
a refreshing.

Live in God's power
and any and every moment,
when His Spirit whispers,
"Give mercy",
and perhaps also,
"Forgive",
don't hesitate,
plunge in.

Copyright June 2013 Joy Chastagner