-Strength for Today- “Why We Should Give Thanks." - Psalm 138.
??The more we think about God and His?“provisions,” the more reasons?“we have to be “thankful.”?Just being awakened,?by the touch of?“His finger of love,” allows us to breath a?“new breath,”?as pilgrims?“on our way to Him.”?And for that reason, we should give thanks?for the gift of life, that?He’s?given us?“this side of the grave,”?for?“His gracious and glorious purpose”?
God is so gracious, that because of Jesus, if we approach Him?“with faith,”?and with the intensity?of?“heartfelt prayer,”?our?transgressions, “because of His grace:?“As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our misdeeds of trust from us”?- Psalm 103:12.?So, as we?“weave through the pages of the Bible,”?and?“reflect on our lives,”?there’s?never a?“conscious,” or?“unconscious moment,”?that our?“praise,” “prayer” and?“thankfulness”?shouldn’t be, as the psalmist said to”?Bless the LORD, … and forget not all His benefits.”?-Psalm 103:2.?
The Apostle Paul echoed this truth when he said:?“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.” - 1 Thessalonians 5:18.?It’s?God’s will that in every circumstance, as Christians,?“we should give thanks?to God,”?for?“the good He can bring out of the event,”?even should that?“event be unpleasant.”??
???That’s?why we should:?“Pray without ceasing,”?(1 Thessalonians5: 17), and with a ““personal communicable relationship of connectedness,”?so that we as believers can “maintain an attitude of?gratitude in the face adversity.”??Because woven through the 150 psalms are?“hymns of thanksgiving,?that the Holy Spirit “inspired men of old to write. And “the longer?we walk with the Lord,” the more?we’re?in-tune?with its poetic workmanship of?“praise,”?and?“thanksgiving.”??
??The psalm that?I've?chosen this morning, as we go through the second year of this?“pandemic,”?and a time of?“national unrest,”?isn't?the longest, and certainly?“not the most eloquent, psalm of thanksgiving.”?But?Psalm 138 is?“simplistically?relevant,”?and it carries with it?“individual praises,”?(vv. 1-3), but looks forward to?“universal”?“praise”?(vv. 4-6). Yet the praise offered to God “doesn’t change the temporary troubles we’re facing,”?but the psalmist?“faithfully does expect deliverance from them “- Vv. 7-8.???
??I think if?we’ll?take with us?“thoughts of praise,”?and?“expressions of thanksgiving to God,”?from Psalm 138 through this?“Thanksgiving season,”?our?reasons to give thanks?won't?just be for this season,?but a reminder that in all that we do, we should:?“Give thanks unto the God of heaven: because His mercy endureth forever”?- Verse 26.?
Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD
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