For His Mercy Endures

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever... Psalm 136 1-3 

As my son shared these verses this morning during our church family time, I was drawn to the words, "His mercy endures forever."  Twenty-six times the writer of this Psalm repeats those words. Why does he continuously use the word mercy?  What does mercy have to do with thankfulness? 

Webster's 1828 dictionary defines mercy this way:

[Mercy] implies benevolence, tenderness, mildness, pity or compassion, and clemency,

but exercised only towards offenders. 

Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Notice the last line of that definition. In order to receive mercy you must be an offender.  We are ALL offenders, if not towards another person, then certainly towards the Lord.  And yet, He still gives mercy. It is what each believer in Christ fully experiences the moment they die. That mercy does not wear out or get cast aside when someone sins one time too may.  He does not decide to recant His mercy once it is given. It endures forever. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Therefore be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:36

As Christ followers, we are to extend mercy to others.  How do we do that? Mercy is given when someone hurts you, leaves you or hates you and you choose not to hurt, leave or hate in return.  That seems like such a hard thing to do because it is hard!  Thankfully, the Lord has given us a way of escape in this hard thing. That is done by going directly to Him and asking Him for help to do the thing He has called us to do.

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.  Hebrews 4:15-16

The Lord's mercy has a continuous existence, it is perpetual, for always, everlasting.  It has an indefinite and unending future, it lasts for eternity.  It is forever and always. (BLB) 

His mercy endureth forever.

That is worth all the thanks we can possibly give. 

Prayer:

Father, there are not enough words to thank You for Your mercy.  Nothing is so high, so wide, so deep as Your unending love and mercy towards me.  As I approach a day set aside for thanksgiving, let me feel Your presence and pleasure daily as I worship and honor You for your great and unending mercy.  Please help me to extend mercy towards those in my life as you have extended it to me. Amen

Challenge:

Read through all of Psalm 136 and then write your own Psalm of thanksgiving.  Think of all the ways the Lord has shown mercy on you and thank Him for each one.  Do you need to extend mercy to someone in your life?  Go boldly before the Lord and ask Him for the help you need.  He is faithful and will give you what you need to do what seems impossible!

Jen G. 2010