To Whom Shall I Show Mercy? Let Us Not Become Weary In Doing Good, For At The Proper Time We Will Reap A Harvest If We Do Not Give Up

December 2-8, 2008

Pastor: Edith Cruz

Study: #569

TOPIC: “To Whom Shall I Show Mercy? Let Us Not Become Weary In Doing Good, For At The Proper Time We Will Reap A Harvest If We Do Not Give Up” 2 Samuel 9:1-8, Galatians 6:9 We can do something good to favor someone, but we do it for a certain time, then we give up. There is much good to be done and there are also many excuses for not doing any good. We like to demand that right be done to us, but we don’t want to be the ones to give to others. Our selfish system is prepared to demand, forgetting what is written in the Scriptures about being merciful and doing good to others. There are so many defense arguments that show that we are not grateful. We are always expecting more, thinking we deserve it. In order for us to do good we have to step aside and stop being selfish. It is for us to do good on behalf of the others. We should exist to seek those who Jehovah wants to do mercy through us. God has taken our bodies to do mercy to men on this earth; for that God has chosen us. Sometimes we give a service out of love, but as the days go by we do it as an obligation. We have to put aside our personal interests and not make so much of it. We are very sensitive, but not by the Holy Spirit, but for our own well-being. We live selfishly. Sometimes we even get tired of giving and continue to give as an obligation, not out of love. When we stop giving it is because there is no longer the love, everything annoys us. Mercy doesn’t come from us, it comes from God. For that reason, we should always be willing to be instruments of God, to do mercy to others. Galatians 6:9 When we start to suggest that others do what needs to be done, it is because we have already become weary. Let us not become tired of doing good to others because in time we will reap, we will be rewarded if we do not give up. There will not be a crop of wheat field the day after sowing. To be selfish is to expect everything for oneself, and the more we feed it the more it will grow and we will no longer do good to others. In 2 Samuel 9:1-8 David was already king, he was no longer one who slept in caves. God had made him justice. Even as a king he did not forget the rule of the righteous, to do good. It is a law, an obligation, if we do it we will allow others to see that Christ lives in us. David did not reflect on the harm Saul had caused him. There is not reasoning in loving, there are no expectations but to give. Loving does not take breaks. Love should possess us and take over all our reasoning, will, faith, and become manifested in us. In Jesus the love became manifested; he tolerated without expecting anything. There was love in Him before every act. If David did not see all the harm done to him by Saul, neither did Jesus. David loved Saul’s family instead of hating them. David was a merciful man who wanted to do good to others, he did not live by what was done to him, but he was righteous and fulfilled his duty. As righteous and merciful persons we have duties and obligations. The way to overcome evil is to be merciful in times of need. Mercy is for the infidels as well as for the believer; it’s the universal law. Let us seek our reward from Heaven. 1 Samuel 20:14 Sometimes we are left with a message of vengeance and for that reason we stop doing good to others. David and Jonathan made a pact to love each other as they loved themselves. When we love we do no harm, but rather we are forgiving. Jonathan did not ask to be loved by others but rather he loved and perished out of love. Christ also died out of love for us so that

we can be well today. When we lack love we are no longer useful to God. Then disagreements occur and anger and we become more distant and God can no longer use us. David investigated Saul’s home for his well-being. It could have been a perfect day to harm Saul’s family, but the love he felt in his heart would not allow him because David had a good heart. The people who need the most help are the least ones to ask, that is why we need to help them. When there is something we don’t want to do, we look the other way. David did not do this, he was willing to do. What has stopped us? We sometimes lean on other things to avoid doing mercy to others and we become harsh and insensible. Let us do mercy onto others because there is a promise that in our time we will be rewarded. If God gives us mercy, then, why not give mercy to others? Then, who will God use? Mercy is done only out of love, it is to give constantly. Jehovah canalizes us to do his mercy. We sometimes live caring for ourselves so much! David trusted God completely. He had a charitable spirit, a desire to give himself and a great love towards God. We have to forgive the harm that has been done to us, no matter from whom. Let us not become a reflection of the harm that has been done to us, let us be a reflection of God’s mercy. Our heart has to flow according to God’s mercy in our lives, because God has done much good to us. We should have a charitable heart. It is necessary for us to forget and forgive. Let us not ignore the needs of those who surround us. We will be rewarded in time if we do not give up.

Mephibosheth was crippled, he was not competent for any war; David had to be merciful to him. To the crippled, to those who have needs, we cannot become tired of doing them good. Sometimes we serve, but later we get tired, and we find an excuse not to go on serving. Our service should go on forever. It shouldn’t become a burden, and not because we no longer love. Whatever good we do, the mercy does not come from us but from God. God’s mercy is immense. God was a witness of the pact David made with Jonathan. We should be merciful because God is merciful. In our day of fragility the Lord will rescue us from our troubles. That is what God wants for us, mercy. David could be merciful with Mephibosheth because he was enjoying the glory of God. When one is merciful one reaches the needy. What David sowed in others with his example, as he did with Machir, was his reward; it was to do good at his pace. 2 Samuel l7:27 And Machir did good and had mercy as he learned from David, his king. David harvested in the bad day, because with the mercy he showed that crippled man he allowed all his people to be fed. David remained faithful to that mercy and always stood beside Mephibosheth. David was living off of God’s mercy just as Mephibosheth lived off of David’s mercy. Let us do like David, a lot of good and mercy to others, God will put in our hearts to whom. Amen.