Wednesday - Mercy Every Morning

Nehemiah 9:18-21 – Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations; 19 Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go. 20 Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst. 21 Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.”

If wanting to go back to Egypt was bad, it gets worse. While the mountain was still smoking, they melted down their earrings and made a golden calf. The Bible calls it "great provocations." And it wasn't a one time event. It was a pattern. They rebelled at Sinai. They rebelled at Kadesh. They rebelled in the wilderness. Forty years of it.

If God ever had a reason to walk away, it was right there. But verse 19 says, "Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness." Manifold means many-sided. Mercy folded on top of mercy on top of mercy.

And notice how practical His mercy was. The cloud didn't leave. The fire didn't go out. The manna didn't stop. Verse 21 says for forty years "they lacked nothing." That's not mercy given once. That's mercy given daily, about fourteen thousand mornings in a row, to people who complained about Him the whole time.

Some of us treat God's mercy like a warranty. It covers the first failure, but after that you're on your own. "God forgave me once, but surely not again." Listen. His mercies are manifold. You didn't out-sin the golden calf. Now hear me, that's not a license to keep sinning. Sin cost Israel dearly. A whole generation never saw the Promised Land. But even in a wilderness of their own making, the manna still fell. Because His mercy is not based on your consistency. It's based on His character.

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Think about it: Where did God's mercy show up for you yesterday, even in small, practical ways? Thank Him for it by name.

Pray: Lord, Your compassions fail not. Thank You for mercy that showed up this morning before I even opened my eyes. Keep me from treating it lightly, and keep me from doubting it. Amen.