This week’s devotions are based on Week 6 of The Prophets: Micah (WATCH HERE)
Micah 6:8b “He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy…”
If “acting justly” is about what we do for others, “loving mercy” is about how we feel toward them. It is possible to do the right thing but with the wrong heart. We can show kindness outwardly while grumbling inwardly. God calls His people to go beyond that. He doesn’t just want us to perform mercy; He wants us to love it.
The Hebrew word for mercy here is hesed, a rich word that means “steadfast love, loyal kindness, and covenant faithfulness.” It is the kind of love that is shown even when it isn’t earned. It is the way God loves us, patiently, generously, and persistently.
In Micah’s time, mercy was missing from society. The rich took advantage of the poor, and compassion had been replaced with greed. Chapter 2 paints a grim picture: “They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away. They oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance.” The people had become so hardened that they saw others as opportunities, not as neighbors.
Micah’s call to “love mercy” confronts that spirit directly. God’s people are not to mirror the world’s coldness but His compassion. To love mercy is to delight in giving, forgiving, and restoring. It means looking for ways to extend grace, not excuses to withhold it.
We often think mercy is for the weak, but in Scripture, it is a mark of strength. Mercy takes humility and trust. It means surrendering our right to get even, our urge to prove a point, and our instinct to keep score.
To love mercy is to remember how much mercy we ourselves have received. Micah ends his book by marveling at this very truth:
“Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression… You will again have compassion on us; You will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18–19).
The people who love mercy are the ones who have been overwhelmed by mercy. When we realize how deeply God has forgiven us, we begin to find joy in forgiving others. Mercy ceases to feel like a duty and starts to feel like simply part of who we are.
Jesus embodied mercy perfectly. He healed the unclean, ate with sinners, and forgave His enemies. Jesus showed that mercy is not weakness. Mercy is the power of love in action.
Loving mercy doesn’t mean ignoring sin or enabling injustice. It means responding to sin with grace, just as God has done with us. It is mercy that mends relationships, melts resentment, and magnifies Christ.
Apply: Ask God to open your eyes to someone who needs compassion today — not because they deserve it, but because He has given it to you.
Is there someone you are holding a grudge against? Pray for them and choose to forgive. Mercy frees you more than it excuses them.
Prayer: Merciful Father, thank You for loving me with steadfast mercy. You have forgiven my sins and welcomed me with grace I could never earn. Soften my spirit toward others. Help me forgive as freely as You have forgiven me. Let my words and actions overflow with kindness that points people to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.