“O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good. His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 118:1
When I was growing up as a boy my mother taught me this verse as a table prayer. My younger sister and I would say it in jumbled English not even realizing what we were saying, but we memorized it and said it ritually before dinner. Little did I know then how meaningful God’s mercy is in my life today.
During halftime of our Monday night football gathering I asked everyone to share an answer to the question; “What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?” As it came to my turn I shared that I was very thankful for the mercy of God in my life. God has given me his mercy through Christ. So many times I have fallen short and have anything but the right attitude toward God and others. I am so thankful that I am forgiven in Christ and that He does not give me what I deserve.
My Army Chaplain friend, Ken from Texas, shared with me this definition of mercy from a study he did on mercy by Rex Andrews: “Mercy is God’s supply system for every need everywhere. Mercy is that kindness, compassion and tenderness which is a passion to suffer with, or participate in, another’s ills or evils in order to relieve, heal, and restore. It accepts another freely and gladly as he is and supplies the needed good of life to build up and to bring to peace and keep in peace. It is to take another into one’s heart just as he is and cherish and nourish him there. Mercy takes another’s sins and evils and faults as its own, and frees the other by bearing them to God.”
Christ has shown me great mercy to me by His sacrifice for my sins on the cross. His mercy continues to me yesterday, today, and forever. I am still learning more how amazing his mercy is in my life. I am so thankful for God’s mercy this Thanksgiving. I could not live without His mercy.
What are you most thankful for this Thanksgiving?
