I want to look at the word endure for who knows what you and I will be called on to endure this week. Webster says the word endure means Endure– To last; to continue in the same state without perishing; to remain; to abide. Five times in Psalms 118 between the shortage Psalms 117 and the longest Psalm 119 we read these words “his mercy endureth for ever” Verse 1 and verse 29 both read almost the same all except for one word.
Psa 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.
Psa 118:29O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
God’s mercy will endure; our God is longsuffering which means that he endures a temperament that expresses itself in patience with the shortcomings of others. God doesn’t respond with a short fuse to us, neither does He want us to respond in such a way to others. He has what it takes to endure. Do you and I have what it takes to endure and if we don’t do we want what it takes to endure? We can have an attitude of “well they are getting what they deserve.” What if God had the same attitude toward us? Where would we be today? What if we got what we really deserved what do you think you would get? Our attitude is everything. When we read in our Bibles about Jesus’ actions and attitudes what do we read? Jesus was always looking for those who had problems. Some didn’t realize there was anything that could be done about their problem. A man born blind just thought this is the way life is and I must make the best of it. Then one day here comes Jesus passing by and saw him and the next thing we read is
John 9:11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. What looked impossible was made possible by Jesus Christ. What’s your story? Every child of God has a story to tell! How he or she was blind, lame or deaf and here comes Jesus and ask you the same question as he asked the man at the pool of Bethesda where a man had been laying for 38 years hoping to be healed. We really don’t know what was wrong the Bible says
John 5:3 In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. I believe he was lame according to verse 8 but he may not have been. But we know that he was impotent laying there with all the other impotent folks. We may not have been at a pool waiting, but we were with other impotent folks; blind from seeing God’s love for us, lame from walking in God’s will or following after Him at all; Withering away day by day as we journey in life. But one day this impotent man was asked a somewhat silly question by Jesus.
John 5:6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The man says
John 5:7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.
I don’t have anybody to help me; Jesus said I am here to help you and then Jesus tells him to do something he can’t
John 5:8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. Look what happened next John 5:9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath. No moving of the water, no one helping him down into the water but immediately the impotent man was made whole. That’s the way it happens Jesus doesn’t need help He is longsuffering not willing that any should perish. His mercy endureth forever so therefore we should thank Him, praise Him and glorify Him daily.