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The Daily Devotional
Sunday, June 7, 2026
Called by Mercy, Held by Promise
“But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” — Matthew 9:13
Reflection
Faith often begins before we can see where the road will lead. Abram heard the voice of the Lord calling him away from his country, his relatives, and his father’s house into a land God would show him. The call came with a promise, but not with a detailed map. God said, “Go,” and Abram went. That simple movement of obedience becomes one of the great patterns of faith in Scripture. Abram trusted the One who called him more than he trusted the security of what he already knew.
Psalm 33 gives us the deeper reason such trust is possible. The psalmist praises the Lord whose word is upright, whose work is done in faithfulness, and whose counsel stands forever. Human plans shift. Circumstances change. Strength rises and fades. But the purposes of the Lord remain steady. Faith does not rest on our ability to control the future. It rests on the character of God.
Paul looks back on Abraham in Romans 4 and teaches us that Abraham’s faith was not based on favorable conditions. Abraham considered the weakness of his own body and the barrenness of Sarah’s womb, yet he did not let impossibility have the final word. He trusted that God was able to do what He had promised. That kind of faith does not ignore reality. It sees reality clearly, but it also sees God more clearly. Faith is not pretending there are no obstacles. Faith is placing the obstacles in the hands of the One whose promise is stronger than what seems impossible.
Then, in Matthew 9, we see this same mercy-filled call embodied in Jesus. He passes by Matthew sitting at the tax office and says, “Follow me.” Matthew’s place in society was not one of honor. Tax collectors were often viewed as collaborators, compromised people, and sinners. Yet Jesus does not begin by giving Matthew a long list of reasons he is unworthy. He calls him. Matthew rises and follows.
Soon after, Jesus is eating with tax collectors and sinners, and the religious leaders are offended. They cannot understand why a teacher of God would sit at such a table. Jesus answers with words that still search the heart: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” He has not come to call those who believe they have no need of grace. He has come for sinners, for the wounded, for the unclean, for the fearful, for those who know they cannot heal themselves.
The rest of the Gospel reading presses this truth even deeper. A ruler comes to Jesus grieving for his daughter. A woman who has suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years reaches out in faith to touch the fringe of His garment. Both come with need. Both come where human ability has reached its limit. And both find that Christ is not repelled by sorrow, uncleanness, desperation, or death. He draws near. He speaks peace. He heals. He raises.
There is a kind of everyday faith we see when someone moves to a new town for work, not knowing how everything will come together. They load boxes into a truck, say goodbye to familiar streets, and drive toward an uncertain future. They may have a job offer, a promise, or a hope, but they still have to step into the unknown. Along the way, there are empty rooms, unfamiliar grocery stores, unexpected expenses, and moments of wondering if they made the right decision. Yet with each small act—unpacking a box, meeting a neighbor, finding the way home after dark—they begin to live into the trust that carried them there.
The life of faith is often like that. We may not be called to leave our homeland like Abram, but we are continually called to leave behind what keeps us from following God. Sometimes we are called to leave fear. Sometimes resentment. Sometimes the need to have every answer before taking the next faithful step. Sometimes we are called to rise from the place where life has labeled us and follow Jesus into mercy.
The good news is that God’s call is not separated from God’s compassion. The One who calls Abram also makes the promise. The One whose counsel stands forever also watches over those who hope in His loving kindness. The One who credits faith as righteousness also strengthens faith when circumstances look barren. The One who calls Matthew also sits at the table with sinners. The One who says, “Follow me,” also says, “Take heart.”
Today’s invitation is simple, but not always easy: take the next faithful step. Trust God’s promise more than your fear. Bring your need to Christ without pretending to be stronger, cleaner, or more prepared than you are. Receive His mercy, and then become a person who offers mercy to others.
Faith begins when God calls. Faith grows when we trust His promise. Faith is sustained when we remember that Christ has come not for those who have everything together, but for those willing to rise, reach out, and follow Him.
Prayer
Merciful Lord, You call us into faith even when the way ahead is not clear, and You meet us with compassion when we come carrying weakness, sorrow, fear, and need. Help us to trust Your promises as Abraham trusted, to praise Your steadfast purposes as the psalmist sang, and to follow Jesus with hearts open to mercy. Teach us not to stand far from those who are hurting, but to become people who reflect Your healing love in ordinary places and everyday moments. Strengthen our faith for the next step, steady our hearts in uncertainty, and remind us that Your grace is greater than our fear. Amen.
Devotional by: Kenny Sallee, ThM — Deming, NM, USA
The Bible texts are from the World English Bible (WEB), which is a Public Domain Modern English translation of the Holy Bible. The World English Bible is based on the American Standard Version (ASV) of the Holy Bible, first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament. It is in draft form and is currently being edited for accuracy and readability. All rights reserved.
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