“Remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, just as he promised our ancestor.” Luke 1:54-55 NIV
Understanding God’s mercy and grace is fundamental to a relationship with Him. We are saved by God’s grace through faith. As we received Christ Jesus, the Lord, so we are to walk in Him. His mercy and grace should permeate our daily walk with Him. God’s mercy is a sovereign mercy. Mary mentions God’s mercy to Abraham and his offspring. There is only one reason given in Scripture why Abraham became the father of our faith: God sovereignly chose him. Abraham was a pagan man from a family in a pagan land when God called him. Why didn’t God call Abraham’s father or brothers? Why did He not choose someone who was already living in the land of Canaan? Why did God choose the descendants of Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob, to be His people? Why not Ishmael? Why not Esau? Why not the Egyptians or Russians or Europeans or Indians or Chinese? We do not know why. All we know is that God chose Israel because of His sovereign purpose. Moses tells them that it was not because they were greater in number or more righteous than any other nation; it was simply because of God’s sovereign love toward them. God does not save anyone unless they choose Jesus as their Saviour and Lord. But it is also true that none of us would choose Jesus unless God had not first graciously done a work of sovereign grace in our lives. God states plainly, “I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy.” This means that God alone is to be glorified for our salvation.
PRAYER THOUGHT
Lord, You alone are to be glorified for our salvation.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord, we thank You for Your work of sovereign grace in our lives. This means that You alone are to be glorified for our salvation. AMEN
INTERNATIONAL BIBLE READING ASSOCIATION (IBRA)
Luke 1:46-56
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