December 14

Jonah 1:1-4-11, Revelation 5:1-14, Psalm 133:1-3, Proverbs 29:26-27 

Pray: When is the last time someone you know (or even a famous sports, politician, etc.) did not receive a punishment that they deserved? Did it confuse or upset you? Spend time in prayer acknowledging the ways that God has shown you mercy in times when you know He withheld what you truly deserved.

Read: When you get a peek into heaven in the Revelation reading, consider how unified everyone in heaven is around the person and plan of God in Christ Jesus. Then notice how important it is for our lives to be in harmony with God’s plan and God’s people as you read the rest of the Scriptures.

Edify: Vivid encounters with the Gospel of Jesus lead to a life in harmony with God’s plan and people. Take Jonah, who went down to the depths of death and spent 3 days in the merciful belly of a whale. He then, 3 days later, emerged from the depth with new life. Jonah immediately changes directions and fueled by God’s mercy brings a message of a merciful God leading a nation to repentance. Jonah’s heart hadn’t caught up to his obedience, but the picture in Revelation 5 shows that one day it will. When John weeps at the Lamb who had been slain, interchangeable with the Lion of Judah, the entire population in heaven breaks into a gospel song about God’s worthiness and His merciful act of ransoming a people to Himself from every tribe and language and people and nation. The Gospel brings harmony to our lives, purposes, and relationships. 

Practice: How is your life out of harmony in your relationships? In view of God’s mercy in Christ Jesus, how are you supposed to tangibly show mercy to someone in your life right now? “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” ~ Jesus.