God’s Mission
Matthew 9:12-13
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
You might imagine that God has seen plenty of people who are highly sacrificial toward Him yet hardly merciful toward others. This could be characterized as a religious spirit, but not a good one. This type of religious spirit looks down on others while looking highly upon oneself. It is what many Pharisees of Bible times were known for. And it was such Pharisees that had a problem with Jesus gathering with sinful tax collectors like Matthew, let alone having them become a followers and leaders among the people of God.
But Matthew is it exactly the type of person Jesus comes for: The sick or sinful. There is no particular brand of people God is seeking, unless you consider “sinners” a brand. The band Casting Crowns has an apt lyric in one of their songs capturing this:
Jesus paid much too high a price
for us to pick and choose who should come
(Casting Crowns, "If We Are The Body")
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I want to see people the way that You see people, not the way that the Pharisees or other religiously prideful people see others. I want to have a merciful spirit rather than a judgmental one. Help me draw closer to You and Your merciful Spirit so that it rubs off on me. In Your name Jesus I pray. Amen.
Micro-Meditation Scripture
Psalm 119:89-96 (Lahmed, 12th letter)
- Your word, LORD, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens. - Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures. - Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you. - If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction. - I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life. - Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts. - The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes. - To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.
Micro-Meditation
Teaching or Command of God
Deuteronomy 13:4
It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him.
Isaiah 40:8
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
Micro-Meditation
Pondering Point
Stands firm means unchanging. With as many things as change or fail to sustain in life generally, stop and pause on this uniqueness of God and His Word.