Tag: thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving for Life

O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me . . . Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning . . . “Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me; O LORD, be my helper.” You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness, That my soul may sing praise to You and not be silent.  O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.  (Psalm 30:2, 4-6, 10-12, NASB)

Psalm 30 was written by King David.  It’s titled, “Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Death.”  This is a psalm of great contrasts, meant to display David’s moods when he was down, and when God dealt favorably with him.  Examples:  Anger/favor; weeping/joy; mourning/dancing; sackcloth (worn to mourn)/gladness; and silence/singing praise.  The above is my highlights from Psalm 30. 

King David begins this excerpt by stating that he cried to God for help, and that God healed him.  I’ve cried to God for help many times, and I’m still waiting to be healed from my ALS.  Can God heal me?  Yes He can if it’s His will.  But God doesn’t heal everyone who asks.  While I might not be healed in this life, I’ll surely be healed in God’s kingdom.  While my legs and arms are useless to me now, I know I’ll run again someday soon.  That’s my hope in Christ Jesus! 

Psalm 30:5 image.  Found at Heartlight, https://www.heartlight.org/gallery/3276.html. 

Next, David exhorts us to “Sing praise to the LORD, you His godly ones, And give thanks to His holy name.”  Why?  Because “His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning.”  I praise and thank God that His anger lasts but a short time.  He has forgiven me very much, and I have an Advocate before Him, arguing my case, in Jesus Christ.  

Finally, King David asks God for His grace.  God has delivered David from many tight situations, and certain death time after time.  For those situations, David is definitely grateful.  David is SO grateful that he makes a pledge:  “O LORD my God, I will give thanks to You forever.”  If you’re a Jesus-follower, you’ll have the opportunity to do just that:  Praise God forever in His Kingdom!  That’s my hope! 

Worship:  “Your Love Never Fails,” by Jesus Culture
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Give Thanks

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.  (1 Chronicles 16:34, NASB)

King David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, and pitched a tent for it on Mount Moriah, the site of the future Temple.  God had denied David’s request to build a temple for Him, since he was a man of war.  Instead, God told David that the honor of building the Temple would go to his son, Solomon.  David did the next-best thing, in his mind, bringing the Ark to Jerusalem, to its temporary home.  First Chronicles 16 documents the celebration that followed, and a psalm of thanksgiving.  Many of the words from this psalm are repeated in Psalms 107 and 118. 

Bible Verse of the Day - day 327 - image 67903 (1 Chronicles 16:34)
1 Chronicles 16:34 image.  Found at bible.com,https://www.bible.com/verse-of-the-day/1CH.16.34/67903?version=105

On this day of national Thanksgiving, I have much for which to thankful.  I thank God for sending His Son to die in my place for the sins I’ve committed; for sending His Holy Spirit, Who is my Teacher and Helper; for my most precious earthly gift, my wife, Sue, who loves me, and takes outstanding care of me; for our precious gifts, three wonderful children, their spouses, and 12 precious grandchildren; for giving me a loving family as I grew up, and great in-laws when I married Sue; and being born in the greatest nation in history, this God-blessed land!  I’ve lived a great life.  God has blessed me far beyond measure, and certainly way beyond what I deserve!  And I have the hope of eternal life after my years on this earth!

I’m grateful for you!

Worship:  “Give Thanks to the Lord (for He Is Good),” by Francesca LaRosa
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Thanksgiving

Now when the builders had laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord, the priests stood in their apparel with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise the Lord according to the directions of King David of Israel.  They sang, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, saying, “For He is good, for His lovingkindness is upon Israel forever.”  And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.  (Ezra 3:10-11, NASB)

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in the United States.  I don’t know about you, but I have a great deal for which to be thankful.  In the passage above, we see a time in the history of ancient Israel in which the people took time to give thanks. 

The southern kingdom of Judah had been conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.  Jerusalem had been destroyed, to include the Temple.  Most of the people of Judah who hadn’t been killed had been exiled throughout the Babylonian Empire.  As had been prophesied, the exile lasted for 70 years.  Meanwhile, Babylon was conquered by the Persians.  King Cyrus of Persia had given permission to the exiles of Judah to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.  The foundation laid eventually became the Second Temple, or Zerubbabel’s Temple. 

Ezra image, found at Verse by Verse Ministry, versebyverseministry.org

The people of Judah were thankful to be back in their Homeland, the land God had promised to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  They were thankful to be back in God’s Town, Jerusalem.  And they were thankful to have laid the foundation for God’s Temple, where Yahweh could dwell among them.  The people sang, praised the Lord, and gave thanks that the Temple foundation was finally in place. 

This Thanksgiving Day, I’ll give thanks for many things:  For my wonderful wife Sue; for three great children and their terrific spouses; for 12 wonderful grandchildren; for friends who keep in touch and pray for me; for the people who take excellent care of me; for being born in and having had the honor to serve the greatest nation ever founded by God; and most of all, I’m thankful that the Creator of the Universe had regard for me, a sinner, and sent His Son to die for my sins, to take the punishment I deserve, and because He did, to be able to look forward to an eternal, heavenly home in His presence! 

“Freedom from Want,” by Norman Rockwell, 1943

God has blessed me far beyond what I deserve, and beyond measure.  I thank Him that I have the breath of God each morning when I am awake.  If you can read this, you have reason to be thankful, and praise God.  Praise Him from Whom all blessings flow!  Have you accepted God’s most precious gift of salvation through the blood of His Son, Jesus?  I have ALS.  I’m thankful for the hope God has given me because of Jesus! 


Worship:  “Give Thanks,” by Don Moen

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Rejoice. Pray. Give thanks. Repeat

Live in peace with one another.  We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.  See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.  Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 5:13-18, NASB)

The Apostle Paul talks in this passage about how we should treat each other.  In his first letter to the church at Thessalonica, which he had helped found, he asks them to encourage each other; to help those who are weak; to have patience with everyone; and to seek good for each other and for everyone.  The Master, Jesus Christ, had taught his disciples to love people, so Paul’s letter is consistent with that.  Paul’s teaching, of course, applies to us as well.

Paul goes on to tell us to “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; . . . ”  Wait a minute!  God, do You know I have ALS?  How do expect me to rejoice?  Or give thanks?  I can’t move, I can’t speak, I can’t eat.  I can’t do anything without someone’s assistance.  As my friend Joe Shirey says, “Who would sign up for that?”

Paul gives some perspective in the next phrase:  “. . . for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  So it’s God’s will that even during trials and tribulations that we should rejoice, pray, and be thankful.  I choose to do what God wants me to do here.  We serve a Savior Who during His earthly ministry endured horrific torture and crucifixion.  He knows what it’s like to suffer injustice, and pain like no one else ever has.  He gave Himself up willingly, and He did it for me and for you.  I’ll break it down:

“Saint Paul Preaching to the Thessalonians,” by Paul Gustave Dore,
Rejoice always:  I choose to rejoice.  I rejoice in the morning when I wake up and realize God has given me another day in His glorious creation!  I rejoice when my Sue walks in my room to start the day, that I get to spend another day with her!  I rejoice when I hear from our kids, or from a friend, and I rejoice even more when I get to see any of them!

Pray without ceasing:  I’m not there yet, but I’m trying!  Praying is something I can still do, even with ALS!  God is not done with me yet!  I pray that I will be in a continual attitude of prayer!  Please pray for me in this regard!  “Without ceasing” comes from a Greek phrase meaning “without ceasing!”

In everything give thanks:  God has blessed me far beyond measure and certainly way beyond what I deserve!  Jesus Christ died for me so I shall have everlasting life!  God gave me a wonderful woman for my wife, and gave us wonderful kids and grandchildren!  He has blessed me with great friends who watch out for me and pray for me!  God has done far more for me than I could ever account for!  How could I not give thanks?  Thank you Lord!

I choose to rejoice!  I choose to pray, and to strive to be in a constant attitude of prayer!  I choose to give thanks to God for all His blessings and mercies on me!  I choose to do all these things despite my circumstances!

I choose to hope!  The other day I was listening to The Message on Sirius XM radio.  A man called in who has ALS, and he was “talking” using his computer.  He said, “ALS stands for Almighty Lord & Savior.”  There’s a man who has hope!
Worship:  “Pray,” The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir