Divine Love And Mercy

Chapter 1

Meaning Of Divine Love And Mercy

By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze

1. God Is Love, Loving and Beloved.
   
         God is love. God created the entire universe out of love. He is also the Glory of the universe - Hence, the center of attention and action.


2. God Is Merciful.
   
         God delights in mercy. He is merciful. He wants His children to be merciful.


3. There Is No Unforgivable Sin.

Therefore, no body has any excuse for not returning to the Lord.          "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." Isaiah 1:18          Why is the Lord particularly mentioning wool or snow? Wool or snow is known for its whiteness. White means purity, peace, righteousness, and goodwill, even virginity! God is able to restore us to His own state of perfection! Just as parents do not throw away their children because the children are dirty. Instead, they happily receive the children home, bath them and put clean dresses on them, and even give them food to eat.          Now, say in your heart, "Lord, I return home. Renew me with Your Everlasting Glory." Jesus said the same prayer, "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." John 17:5

         Question: You said that there is no unforgivable sin, but Jesus said that the sin against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven? Yes, the sin against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven. That means that:
1. Sin is so serious that a single sin can permanently separate a person from God. That is eternal death. God is so holy that after sin is death. The wages of sin is death (permanent separation from God).
2. God as Almighty Love (in His Mercy) has paid for the eternal death (separation from God).
3. A person will be punished for his sin against the Holy Spirit, but remains united with God.
4. Just as a later comer to a meeting is punished, but remains a full member with full rights, before, during and after paying the penalty.
5. There is wisdom in suffering. The suffering (penalty) teaches the defaulter the necessity of avoiding committing the offence again.


4. Mercy Is The Shortest Route To Heaven.
   
         This mercy has to be expressed as love, mercy, charity and unselfishness.


5. Renunciation Is The Highest Form Of Service.
   
         You renounce yourself by performing selfless service to God and mankind. Remember the case of the rich young man who wanted to know what he should do to enter the kingdom. He proved to Jesus that he has met all the conditions for entering the kingdom. But Jesus pointed out to him that it remains one more thing, which is renunciation. Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." Matthew 19:21

         Question: Since renunciation is the highest form of service, does it mean that all paid employees should resign their appointments and join charity organizations?
No. They should continue their work. But they should do the following:
1. Perform their duties as service offering to God.
2. In doing their work, they should remember God. One day, I went to a publishing company. Some of the staff were compiling books. The interesting thing was that they were singing praises to God while doing so. On another day, I went to a market to buy things. Somewhere at the market were a group of beggars. They were steadily singing praises to the Most High, while waiting for gifts from passers-by. Is it not suprising that the handicapped person praises God more than those who are physically fit?
3. Be ready to contribute, each according to his ability, whenever there is need to help others.
4. Give God the glory for their successes and accomplishments.
5. Go the extra mile, whenever there is the need, and not limit their work to the extent of their salary.


6. Give Without Expectation.
   
         Perform your services/works, without expecting rewards, without expecting thanks, without complaining, without being persuaded and without being forced to do so.


7. Give To All Without Discrimination.
   
         Learn from God. God is the God of the Universe. He is like the sun, which shines alike in all directions, available to all religions, tribes, nations, languages and localities. He is universal.
         Mankind should learn from the sun, which is always selfless and busy; it gives to all, without complaining and without expecting rewards. Above all, it is not proud, and yet, it is majestic and glorious.
         "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what rewards have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48


8. Trust Solely In God.
   
         Put your trust solely in God, not in your riches, money, position, power or anything else. All may fail you, but God never fails. If any of these fails you, God will restore far more than that was lost. The life of Job was a very good example.


9. Give God The Glory.
   
         All actions are performed by the forces of nature, by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, give God the glory for all your efforts, achievements and fortunes.
         For example, you can eat food. But it is not you who produced the land, agriculture, food, or the means for processing our food. Again, when you eat, it is not you who produced the teeth for chewing, the tongue for taste, the throat for swallowing, the saliva for convenience, or the process of digestion. You only use these things which have been made available by God.
         Give God The Glory.

         That was why Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." Mark 4:27-29


10. Glory Only In The Lord.
    
    
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising loving-kindness, judgment,
and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight," says the LORD. Jeremiah 9:24.

The best way to glory in the Lord is to be merciful and loving in kindness.


11. It Is Not Optional.
    
         The practice of Divine Love and Mercy is not optional. It is compulsory for everyone who wants to become perfect, even as our Heavenly Father is perfect.
         That is why Jesus said to Faustina, "I demand from you deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for me. You are to show mercy to your neighbours (everybody) always and everywhere. You must not shrink from this or try to excuse yourself from it." Many shy away from helping others. Some are fond of giving one reason or the other on why they cannot help out somebody in trouble.


12. Exercise Divine Love And Mercy With Joyful Volition.
    
         Perform Divine Love and Mercy willingly and readily. Do so like the sun, which joyfully perform its duty.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
Psalms 19:4-6


13. Everyday Steps To Heaven.
    
         Divine Love and Mercy is what you should practise everyday. As you do so, it brings you closer and closer to heaven. And makes you become perfect even as your Heavenly Father is perfect.


14. Divine Love And Mercy Is Better Than Penance (Self-Punishment).
    
         Many delight in penance: fasting, self-afflictions, suffering, etc. But these are not what God demands from us. He demands love, mercy and charity.


15. Divine Love And Mercy Is Our Everyday Duty.
    
         Our everyday duty is not even the lucrative businesses or employment we engage in. It is to show love and mercy to all, without discrimination. Doing business and saving money is good. But that is not the primary duty we have from God. The primary duty is to exercise Divine Love and Mercy.


16. Forgive And Forget.
    
         Forgive and forget so that the Heavenly Father will forgive you your sins. Rid yourself of grudges, so that you can inherit the kingdom of Heaven.

         Get Over Your Past
         We all have past. It is our prison, our excuse, or our springboard to the future. One thing is certain, until we break the chain that ties us to it, we can never move forward.
         Recently, I saw a bulldog chained to a post in a neighbour’s backyard, and the chain was all the more cruel, because of the dog’s obvious desire to be free. Haven’t you seen the same thing? People, who should have being movers and shakers, reduced to nonentities in life. Why? Because they are chained to the past by their unforgiving heart.
         Just a single chain around the dog’s neck incapacitated its entire body. That’s how it works! Bitterness is like a chain around the neck of your life potential; choking the life out of your freedom and joy, and making even the sweet taste of your success turn sour in your mouth.
         May be you have been hurt, and you are saying, “I’ll never forgive them unless they admit what they have done, and ask for my forgiveness”. What if they never do? Why should your happiness depend on their ability to do what’s right especially if they are not in the habit of doing it. You are giving them too much power!
         The word ‘forgive’ literally means to “get it out.” It has nothing to do with the other person. The test of love is to forgive the guilty. Are you struggling with parents who abandoned or abused you? Forgive and release them; otherwise you will waste all your emotional energy keeping them in the prison of your resentment. Think what that does to you. Whatever you don’t forgive, you are destined to suffer the agony thereof. Unforgiveness is the umbilical cord that keeps you tied to the past. When you forgive you cut the cord.          ...Nnadozie Chioma.


17. Be Humble And Simple.
    
         Learn the simplicity of God. Simplicity does not mean living a life of poverty or wretchedness. It means not to be proud, boastful, high-handed or arrogant. It means readiness and willingliness to render kind service whenever and wherever needed.
         Avoid unnecessary embellishments or excessive decorations.

1. God is Love, Loving and Beloved.



2. Out of the abundance of His love, God provides for us - the earth in which we live has fertile lands, fruitful trees, productive animals and evryday necessities which are good and in abundance.



3. We should distribute these good things of life to all and sundry, ensuring that none is neglected or put in disadvantage.



4. While it is good to make and save profit, we must not shrink or shy away each time we are required to show Divine Love and Mercy.



5. The beneficiary of Divine Love and Mercy must not abuse the good opportunities given to him, so that he does not block the flow of goodness.



6. The only way to prove that you love God is by loving and caring for His children.



7. It is good to be a reverend, a leader or a very important person, but the most important of all is to practice Divine Love and Mercy. Everybody is entitled to become a minister of Divine Love and Mercy.