SCRIPTURE:
“But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13
TESTIMONY: (Written by Sofie Kate Chambley)
For years and years I wasted my time striving for perfection. My story is filled with disappointment, anger, sadness, mental struggles, spiritual warfare, and so much more. However, I refused to ever show that side. Rather than using my story to help others, it became something that pushed people away. I only showed perfection; I refused to show my sadness and my hurt, and I refused to ask for help. I did not want others to see that my walk with Christ was not as amazing as I portrayed it.
What I failed to realize was that I was acting like a Pharisee. Out of vanity, I kept the image of pure joy on my face. My mask of perfection turned into self-righteousness. When I reflected on this verse, it really called me to do a heart check. Jesus does not want perfection; He just wants you. He wants your flaws and your doubts. Your walk as a Christian will never be perfect. In fact, when you choose to walk in truth and life, your walk may be even harder. In the Beatitudes, Jesus says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3). These are the people that come to Him empty-handed and on the verge of giving up. Jesus is a loving and merciful God.
When we ask for mercy, we are not asking simply for forgiveness. When Jesus died on the cross, we were forgiven. Mercy is Gods response to us, it’s our gift to receive from Him. We can’t earn it or prove our way to it. Receiving God’s Mercy changes our hearts and makes us merciful. Jesus does not want us to offer sacrifices in exchange for mercy because if we did, then we never accepted his sacrifice.
In whatever season of life you are in, I encourage you to bring it all to the feet of Jesus. The sinful world we live in shows our desperate need for a Savior to save us from it. He has paid the price for your sins, and He redeems and restores.
RESPOND:
- What resonates with you from this testimony?
- What do Jesus’ words “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” mean to you?
PRAYER:
Gracious Father, Son of God, and Holy Spirit – deliver us from self-sufficiency. Deliver us from the ideals of this world. I pray you find your children drinking deep from your cup of grace and receiving the mercy you have poured out for us. Deliver us from fears of perception, from needs to prove or ideals to live up to, and Lord find your children willfully submitting to the will of you our Father. In Jesus name, Amen
