Thanksgiving for God's Election

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." [Rom 9:15]

As this will be the text of my Thanksgiving Day message, I wanted to post a thought or two, and a few questions.

First, God is sovereign. This means he is just. So whether he has mercy on some, but not others, it is still death and hell that we all deserve. His mercy is not injustice. How so? Well, he says, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy." [KJV] So He, as God, has a right to show favor to one but not others. This was Cain's Big Issue.

Second, Thank God for his election. This is the one thing in life that you cannot do for yourself. Cain, for example, was not favored--not at first. God gave him the chance to "do what is right" though, which I think was the opportunity to please God. God's favor on Abel cost him his life. God's favor to Cain was different, but equally "full of grace and truth." So even though you cannot earn God's favor, it is given to all, "for God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." [2Pet.3:9]

Praise God who has compassion on whom He has compassion. If nothing else, THIS we can be thankful for. I often complain inwardly about what my life is or isn't, or the role I seem to lack in changing the world for God. But I am thankful to tears for his compassion upon me, for I'm most certain that I deserve none of the grace He has shown me thus far.