Your Daily Devotional for November 25, 2006

 

November 25, 2006

 

 

Giving Thanks: For His Mercy

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. Let Israel now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let the house of Aaron now say, that his mercy endureth for ever. Let them now that fear the LORD say, that his mercy endureth for ever.”

Psalm 118:1-4

 

According to a traditional Hebrew story, Abraham was sitting outside his tent one evening when he saw an old man, weary from age and journey, coming toward him. Abraham rushed out, greeted him, and then invited him into his tent. There he washed the old man’s feet and gave him food and drink.

The old man immediately began eating without saying any prayer or blessing. So Abraham asked him, “Don’t you worship God?” The old traveler replied, “I worship fire only and reverence no other god.” When he heard this, Abraham became incensed, grabbed the old man by the shoulders, and threw him out of his tent into the cold night air.

When the old man had departed, God called to his friend Abraham and asked where the stranger was. Abraham replied, “I forced him out because he did not worship you.” God answered, “I have suffered him these eighty years although he dishonors me. Could you not endure him one night?”

God’s mercy is an amazing thing. Without His mercy, we would have been condemned and punished the first time we ever sinned! God’s mercy could be defined as God not giving us what we deserve. We deserve death. Because we have sinned, we deserve to be punished by being thrown into the lake of fire for all eternity. Yet His mercy is shown to us by providing a payment for our sins.

I am sure that we would all agree that we have sinned. We have all done wrong at some time during our lives. And as punishment for that sin, we deserve Hell. But Christ provided a way for us to be forgiven from those sins. He provided the payment for all of mankind’s sins when He died on Calvary.

He not only showed mercy to us by paying for our sins on Calvary, but He also shows mercy to us each day. Each time we sin, God shows us His mercy by giving us an opportunity to repent and ask Him for forgiveness.

Aren’t you thankful for God’s mercy? Aren’t you thankful that God showed His mercy to us by sending His Son to pay for our sins? Aren’t you thankful that God gives us an opportunity to seek His forgiveness each time we sin? Thank God today for His unfailing mercy!

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