Mercy and Increase

Recently I listened to a gripping story on the BBC involving mercy that occurred in Iran, a predominantly Moslem state.  A woman pardoned  a man who had blinded her with acid  after she refused his marriage proposal. The man, Majid Movahedi threw acid in the face of the lady, Ameneh Bahrami in 2004 in anger following the ‘landmine’ he had stepped on.  For seven years Ameneh pursued a court case to have Majid blinded too in a real ‘eye for an eye’ scenario.  In July 2011, a judiciary hospital in Teheran arranged for the woman or her relations to throw acid in the eyes of Majid to inflict revenge.  At the last minute just as Ameneh’s brother was about to carry out the punishment the woman ordered him to stop saying she had forgiven Majid, who at that time was crying thinking he was about to go blind. The action stunned Ameneh’s family and indeed the whole world. What a heart! What mercy!

This is the year of ‘Supernatural Increase’ at Word Alive Ministries International.  We see increase in spiritual terms, financially, materially;  in numbers, branches, outreaches and indeed in many other realms. We see exponential growth in all that concerns us.  But there could be hindrance if care is not taken in some areas we often ignore; mercy and forgiveness.    I believe last year we were hurt at some point by someone and perhaps we still have a grudge or two over the incident.  I am fully persuaded that forgiveness and mercy will be a catalyst for increase in our lives.

Isaiah 54: 2 (NIV) says: Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes.    The scripture speaks of preparations for increase.  The place to be prepared in the context of this article is the heart and mind.  Remove the grudge, take out the hurt and the unforgiving spirit;  pray that the memory of that quarrel with your spouse/friend/boss/neighbour will diminish.  Removal of this junk will create space in the heart and mind. This is necessary preparation to receive from the Lord, the increase we so desire.

Matthew 18:22 (NIV) quotes the Lord Jesus as saying we ought to forgive a person who has wronged us 70 multiplied by 7 times!  In verse 35 of the same chapter, Jesus says forgiveness should be from the heart.  The Lord also reminds us powerfully in Matthew 5:23-24 (NIV): Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

May we FIRST take steps of reconciliation, mercy and forgiveness before coming to the altar to seek increase.  May we have the grace to actively clean out the junk from the heart thus creating space for blessings. Then we will be heard in heaven. My prayer for you in 2012 is based on Deuteronomy  1: 11 (NIV): May the Lord, the God of your fathers, increase you a thousand times and bless you as he has promised. Amen!
PS: The Iranian woman’s action was widely welcomed in her country and beyond. The President of Iran gave Ameneh a house to thank her for the merciful attitude.