The greatest gift God gave to us was Jesus性视界传媒 death and resurrection to pay the penalty for our sins. His second greatest gift was giving us the law at Mount Sinai. The law defined sin and showed us our need for a Savior. Importantly, it also showed us how to love God.
The Fourth of July is now in the rearview, but let性视界传媒檚 not forget why we celebrate. It性视界传媒檚 more than a day to gather with friends and family for a cookout, cool off at River Springs, or enjoy the spectacular fireworks hosted by the Owatonna Early Edition Rotary Club. While we all love a day off, especially when it extends into a long weekend, that性视界传媒檚 not the real reason for the holiday.
Parshat Chukat: Numbers听19:1-22:1; Judges听11:1-33.
Abraham Lincoln said, 性视界传媒淚 have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.性视界传媒 Smugness pulls the trigger on misdeeds, but mercy allows us to forgive. Mercy does not excuse the offense, but it can restore relationships and strengthen justice by maturing the offender. It can mean withholding punishment. It can also mean providing comfort for those who are suffering. Mercy is an act of kindness and caring for those who are unable to care for themselves and for those who don性视界传媒檛 deserve it. At its core is forgiveness and selflessness.
God worked to create the heavens, the earth, and all things therein; then He took a day off. 性视界传媒淎nd on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.性视界传媒 (Genesis 2:2-3, KJV). We are also expected to work. We work at a job (usually five days a week), and then we tend to our yards and houses, and then we take a day off to rest. 性视界传媒淪ix days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates.性视界传媒 (Exodus 20:9-10).
From the beginning of time, God has initiated and sought to develop a personal relationship with humanity. He began with a direct relationship with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15-25). After their fall, he used divine revelation to communicate with families who followed the reluctant couple. God then elevated patriarchs like Moses and Joshua to positions of power and authority, displayed his awesome power through miracles and mysteries, and communicated with kings and prophets to encourage people to follow the one true God.
Recently, I have been noticing in many public spaces, signs and artistic notices that remind us of the need to be kind. It is rightly being taught in our schools and now even on office buildings and businesses. I have always been confused by the human tendency to want to be treated kindly or to use the biblical term 性视界传媒渕ercifully性视界传媒 and yet to struggle to be kind to others or treat them with mercy. Our culture loves to say 性视界传媒渓ove is love性视界传媒 only to turn around and hate people who embrace a biblical morality that helps people to avoid wrong self-destructive choices and identities. It is almost as if human kindness is arbitrary depending on whether one agrees or approves of another性视界传媒檚 decisions or preferences.