By john

I've been reading all the headlines about the terrorism in France and the protests and funerals and massive reactions to these hateful events. It is easy to hate the people who did these things. It is easy to thirst for revenge on them and all others like them. Yet, if we hate, if we seek revenge, we are turning away from our Lord Jesus. "Vengence is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord (Romans 12:19)." We cannot let ourselves hate these men. Instead we should show Christ's heart by making Micah 6:8 real in our lives:

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

It is justice we should seek! As hard as it is to do, it is mercy we should show! The headline today was about how Israel took part in the funeral for the Jews who were killed by the terrorist and how they have in custody someone who was associated with that man. My prayer is that they will seek justice concerning the man in custody and not convict him by association. If he had nothing to do with this, then he should go free. Justice demands it. If he was an accessory to the murders, then he should be tried and recieve a just sentence. Justice demands it. I also pray mercy for him that through all of this he will turn and find Jesus. Justice and mercy always go together. We must pray for God's mercy on the Muslim people now living in Europe. The religion of Islam teaches and encourages extremists to do exactly what they are doing, but I know that many muslim people are repulsed by these things. My prayer is that they will see that in Christ they will find a God who loves and is full of mercy and offers relationship. The God of the Christian stands in contrast to the false god Allah -- a god who is arbitrary, vengeful and can never be reached.

Pray for mercy, people! Pray for mercy!