Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples. Psalm 105:1
As it is Thanksgiving in the United States, please join me in refection upon Psalm 136 which is a beautiful model for being truly thankful. As this Psalm states, no matter what God is doing, His love for us is everlasting. It starts with who God is, moves through various things that He has done and finishes with how He is ever mindful of us.
Jehovah is our: Healer, Provider, Shepherd, Way, Banner, Righteousness, Peace and our Light. He is eternal and ever present watching over us, guiding us and sustaining us. It is very easy to get so caught up in our lives and the challenges before us that we forget to stop and thank God for all He has done, is doing and will do. Further there are the provisions and benefits that we are aware of and arguably more that we are totally unaware of. Part of this passage tells of what God did on behalf of the Israelites. Consider taking some time to rewrite it by making it personal and detailing the things in your life that Jehovah has done for you and thanking God for each of those things. It’s not just an exercise to give thanks, but also to make us more mindful of how active God is in our lives in large and small ways. By taking the time to recognize our Lord’s activity in our lives, we draw closer to Him and strengthen our bond with Him.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of gods, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who alone does great wonders, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the heavens with skill, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the great lights, for His lovingkindness is everlasting:
The sun to rule by day, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
The moon and stars to rule by night, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And brought Israel out from their midst, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
With a strong hand and an outstretched arm, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who divided the Red Sea asunder, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
But He overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
To Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who smote great kings, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And slew mighty kings, for His lovingkindness is everlasting:
Sihon, king of the Amorites, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And Og, king of Bashan, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And gave their land as a heritage, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
Even a heritage to Israel His servant, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Who remembered us in our low estate, for His lovingkindness is everlasting,
And has rescued us from our adversaries, for His lovingkindness is everlasting;
Who gives food to all flesh, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Give thanks to the God of heaven, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Thanksgiving begins the “Holiday Season” and looks forward to Christmas as well. While it is widely considered to be a time of joy and fellowship, for various reasons it can also be difficult for many others. I am personally aware of three families that have lost loved ones in the last week…two were teenagers. I am aware of others who have had loved ones taken to their eternal reward during the past year; this will be their first celebration without those they held dear this year. To thank God in the midst of trials and loss is a great act of faith that testifies to the world that we trust in God, His character, and His promises…promises fulfilled as well as those welcomed from a distance (Hebrews 11:13). Whether it is a truly joyous time, a difficult time or somewhere in the middle, remember that God remembers you in your low estate with an everlasting love.
Give thanks to the God of heaven for His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Will