Based on Psalm 136 (New King James Version)
“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: To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever—the sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever. To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy endures forever; and brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever; with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His mercy endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever; and slew famous kings, for His mercy endures forever—Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever; and Og king of Bashan, for His mercy endures forever—and gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever; a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever. Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever; and rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever, who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.”
We see throughout this passage the word mercy mentioned many times. What does this word mean? We can define the word “mercy” with other synonyms such as: compassion, benevolence, and kindness. We can further explain its meaning as, when something or someone does something for someone else without having a reason. It is also synonymous with grace. In mercy, there is no obligation. When mercy is shown to someone, it is because the recipient has no right to it, or even less, something that can be taken for granted. And this mercy is precisely what God has for each of us. We owe absolutely everything to Him, because of His mercy.
There is something that is crucial and essential that we must understand, if we really want to attain God's salvation, the forgiveness of our sins, in essence, eternal life and everything that God gives the opportunity to obtain through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is necessary to understand His mercy towards us. Does God have any kind of obligation or debt with man? Is there anything that compels God that belongs to us? Do we have any kind of power over Him? No. God owes us absolutely nothing. There is nothing that we have or are that forces God to have mercy on us, which is the whole point. This issue that many people have that they feel or think that they have rights before God is absolutely wrong. What are we before God? Nothing. I know this is difficult to accept, and that some will feel humiliated, but this is our reality. Everything that God does for us is only out of His mercy, out of compassion, out of pity, out of benevolence, out of kindness, in short, because of His grace, and nothing else. And all that comes from Him. That's how good God is. As it is written: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:43-45.
Now, many may think: “I am not perfect, but I am not bad or evil either. Let's think carefully about the matter, and from the perspective of the only one that matters—God. This is what the Word says: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.” Psalm 14:3. This is what God sees. There is no one that can tell God that He is wrong. You can try telling Him that He is wrong, and see how that goes for you. But nonetheless, that is our collective reality. Let's think about it this way. The Bible says that the wages of sin is death. What can be synonymous with death? Let's say, poison. Poison causes death. If we put a few drops of poison in a glass of water, or fill the glass with poison, is there any difference between the two? Whether it's a few drops or a full glass, the end will be the same for whoever drinks from the glass. Sin is the same, whether a little or much, before God and for justification before Him, it is exactly the same evil. But if we are honest, we have all committed many sins, and there is no one who can justify themselves before a God who is Holy. This is what the Word says: “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8.
So, we can conclude that not only do we have no right before God, but also, to make things even more difficult, we have directly offended God with our sins, because when we sin, we offend Him. So, what is our true place before God? Not only are we less than nothing compared to everything else created, and of course, we are even less before Him who created everything, but we have offended Him and many times. Are you beginning to understand our true position? So, can we say that God is not good, and that he is not merciful? Absolutely not. Impossible. It is complete foolishness to think anything else, fueled only by the deception and lies of Satan himself. Therefore, we must learn to value His many mercies. For our own good, we must weigh, so to speak, all that the Lord has done, is doing, and promises to do. Our attitude must change. Because this is also true: “The Lord is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy.” Psalm 145:8. This teaches us that His mercy is great but not unlimited. Even God has a limit, and if we do not learn what is necessary, and change our attitude before Him, His mercy will end. There is a judgment where all of us, without exception, will be held accountable for our actions. It is written: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men...” 2 Corinthians 5:9-11a. God is great in mercy, but if a person does not acknowledge the Lord as they should, and treat Him as He deserves to be treated, they will no longer experience God’s mercy, but rather, only His eternal wrath. God is love, but He is also consuming fire. So then, have you learned to value God’s mercy? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel!