JudeShembull

Mercy, Peace and Love

There is an attractive humility about Jude. He is not an apostle. And while he identifies himself as James' brother, he could have  introduced himself as Jesus' brother. (Technically His half-brother.) But Jude doesn't do this - he doesn't create a sense of a "family business" and he doesn't assume that everyone knows who he is.    

As we saw yesterday, Jude sees the church through a beautiful lens. They are called (the Holy Spirit is implied here), loved by God and kept by Jesus.

But then we hear his heart for them: Mercy, Peace and Love.

Mercy is what we experience from God - He doesn't treat us as our sins deserve. He doesn't leave us to fulfill the demands of righteousness on our own. Jesus takes our place. We have received incredible, free, no-strings-attached mercy.

Peace is the result of receiving mercy. I don't have to earn salvation. I don't have to strive. When I fail, I don't have to feel as though all is lost. I have peace with God. My relationship with my Father is not based on my achievements or my failures, but on the once-and-for-all-sufficient sacrifice of Christ. When He looks at me, the Father sees me through the spectacles of Christ's sacrifice. He's done it - He's got this. I have peace.

Love is when mercy and peace are experienced deeply and fully. We can fall in love with the God who did this for us and we can love those He loves (and this includes ourselves).

But, Jude isn't wishing us something we don't have. He's reminding us to walk on the road already built for us. He'd like us to abound in it - to experience it more and more.

Will you open your heart to that??