Mercy - 1 Chronicles 16:34

[Elder-Shawn Denise Briscoe]

“give thanks to the LORD/HASHEM, for HE is good! For HIS mercy endures forever”.
[Give thanks to JEHOVAH, for good, for to the age, [is] HIS kindness,{original Hebrew translation}]

In this text of scripture we are told to give thanks; but you may not understand why we are to give thanks to the LORD. What does it mean here when the verse informs us that HIS mercy endures forever? The answer is simple yet most if not all of us don’t see it. The LORD GOD is letting us know that HE is compassionate and kind towards us. All of us need compassion and kindness. The act of sin grows stronger due to the abasement of the mind with each generation but the Grace of GOD abounds so much greater over sin. For some of us GOD’s compassion and kindness may be the only compassion and kindness we will ever experience from anyone. People are cold and cruel not because they wanna be but because they are taught to be. Sin is the driving force behind the entire negative attributes of mankind; it keeps us blind to what we should experience from GOD. However, mankind never looks for hate, mankind looks for love; which travels with compassion and kindness; we respond to love. When a baby is born the baby responds to compassion and or kindness. As the child becomes older; what the child experiences visually, how the child is spoken to and what the child is taught to say teaches the child how not to give compassion and kindness. So as the child grows up in a cold, hard and harsh world the child is void of compassion and void of kindness. Yet, in the totality of it all is GOD; who with compassion and kindness will send people to you who are compassionate and kind. You may not recognize it at first and after a few precious moments with people who extend themselves to you. You become aware of kindness you don’t realize that this compassion is grouped with love also. Some people who like a magnet; choose not to depart this kindness and will become kind themselves. They will want to help others as they were helped. Mercy is not a difficult attribute to exhibit towards others; it’s no different than exhibiting the attribute of hate. Look at JESUS; knowing that HIS time had come that HE must surrender HIMSELF to a shame unlike anything mankind will ever experience. To be betrayed; to be beaten; to be lied on; to be made fun of; to be mentally abused; emotionally abused and physically abused; to be given bowel mixed in vinegar to drink. To have HIS FATHER turn HIS back on HIM. This was all done in just one day; could you handle it? And yet, what did JESUS do; before HE was betrayed HE held a dinner party; knowing that HIS betrayer was attending the dinner banquet, HE allowed HIS betrayer to eat well. JESUS also told HIS betrayer to do what he must do quickly don’t drag it out; stick to the program. (You must know that I {AMFBeM} paraphrase a lot). This was mercy in action towards HIS betrayer; JESUS was continually compassionate and kind; HE never blinked about HIS love for Judas Iscariot. Poor Judas Iscariot; a man who walked, talked, ate, lived and traveled with JESUS for three years. Knew JESUS was kind but he did not understand the totality of it all. He did not understand that JESUS was not just kind; HE was compassionate and kind which is merciful which love is. Had he known and understood this; maybe he would not have betrayed JESUS. I don’t know; I’ve witnessed some strange things in my young life in JESUS. I’ve witnessed religious folk turn their back on the church. I’ve witnessed people who call themselves CHRISTians live a life of sin without guilt. I’ve witnessed people who call on the name of JESUS turn their backs on HIM and HIS Word. Today, I'm witnessing how many in the church who proclaim to be the children of the Most High GOD debate over the sin of homosexuality and same sex marriage as if this is new. Some are in agreement with homosexuality and same sex marriage; some are not. We all should be against all types of sin not just the ones we want to pick and choose or the ones that are under the magnifier for now. We are all called to be merciful to all mankind but none of us are called to be merciful towards sin. This is a fact; GOD’s mercy does endure forever. But you must choose your forever; will your forever be until you die the earthly death that we must all come to? Or will your forever be eternity? Elder Shawn, what are you saying, make this plain. Some will experience mercy forever from birth to death because they will not receive JESUS. Some will experience mercy forever, eternally because they have received JESUS. Either way, we must give thanks to the LORD, for HIS mercy endures forever.