Mercy, Peace, Love

 *1*Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, 

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 

*2*May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 

Jude 1–2.

Leading on from last week, we are going to consider v2 in light of the introductory verse. If you are someone who realises they have been invited into loving relationship with Father God because of Jesus, and set apart for him, sealed with the Holy Spirit, then Jude speaks this blessing upon you, ‘May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.‘

I think this is interesting, as how do we recognise and increase in mercy, peace and love? Maybe this invites us to regularly ponder upon the significance and greatness of all Jesus has achieved through his life, death, resurrection and ascension throughout our life. Magnifying our appreciation and understanding of what God has done and seeing how it applies in our life. As well as being those that do not keep this mercy, peace and love for ourselves, but are those that extend these to others though they too may not deserve it.

Do you recognise that increasing mercy is available to you? Mercy means being forgiven though you don’t deserve it and not receiving the punishment sin deserves. Jesus’ death provides us with this great mercy, Are you aware of and grateful for forgiveness and freedom from every wrong thing you have ever done? Do you consider the torture and pain involved in Jesus giving you mercy? He took indescribable pain upon himself to free you from sin so that you can escape; judgement,  punishment, fear and the shame. Are you increasingly appreciative of this mercy? And are you increasingly merciful to those around you? Do you forgive and release others from their wrongs towards yourself as Jesus has done for you? You can multiply mercy in your life by appreciating it for yourself and by being a person of mercy to others as Jesus was. This is hard to do when we are hurt and offended, but it is not impossible. The Holy Spirit can help us, and we can help ourselves by considering who Jesus is and what he has already done. 

Everyone around the world seeks peace, peace between countries, peace in their households, peace in their own hearts. Yet do they experience it? Peace is; the freedom from anguish or disturbance, tranquility, a state of not being at war. 

Would we even know what to do with ourselves if we were truly at peace? There would be no cause for grumbling or discontent would there? Verse 2 shows that we can experience increasing peace as we develop our understanding of who we are in God. It is through that connection that we can experience freedom from anxiety, freedom from fear, and freedom from turmoil. The more that we recognise that Jesus truly is the Lord and Master, the more we can experience peace. So if you want to multiply peace in your life, get to know God better. Invest in relationship with Him and outwork your faith by being a person of peace to those around you. 

Lastly, love; intense affection, deep connection, taking pleasure and interest in due to an emotional attachment. This is how God responds to us, and He wants you to know that in deeper measure. He is firmly attached to you, He has great affection and delight in you. His love for you is never-ending and has no boundaries. It cannot be lost. Do not doubt it. God has tried, since the creation of the world to show you His love  - do you see it? All of the Bible is about God trying to show His love to people like you and I. He has poured out love for thousands of years and He hasn't stopped. He sent his son as a sacrifice to win back your love. Does He have it? Are you increasingly grateful, content and accepting of the love of God? Jude invites you to multiply love in your life. This means firstly acknowledging that God does indeed love you. That can be a huge stumbling block for some, and it took me years to acknowledge that God does much more than merely tolerate me. Yet, how can we deny it when there are verses such as;

 nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God’ Romans 8:39

‘the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge’ Ephesians 3:19,

‘Lord, how precious is your unfailing love, O God’ Psalm 36:6

See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us HIs children!’ 1 John 3:1

Mulling on verses such as these can help you to see in greater measure how much God loves you. Once you really realise that, then you are able to multiply the love you have and can to express to others in your life, ‘We love because he (God) first loved us’ (1 John 4:19).

So, as you go through this week and the rest of your life;

‘May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.’