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Give God The Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving

Tags: Daily Devotional

Tomorrow is a day of Thanksgiving here in the United States of America. It’s been celebrated in one form or another here since before we were even counted as a peer of the nations of the earth.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it a “National Holiday” and we’ve been celebrating (nationally anyway) our blessings from Almighty God at the end of November every year since then.

I thought it would be fitting to read through Psalm 107 here and, as we read it, to apply the themes it contains to our national history, our family history in addition to our own personal lives; Both the struggles and the blessings.

Let’s start with the declaration; A command if you will, “give thanks unto the LORD”.

Psalm 107
“O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.”

Our fore-fathers sought a land where they could freely worship God without restriction from Kings or governments. What do you seek?

We continue:

“Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.”

Have you been hungry and thirsty? Have you wandered? What has God done for those before you? What has He done for you?

“Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.
And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

When He meets our needs, even in small ways, do we thank Him? Are we stealing glory from God when we don’t thank and bless Him?

“Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

Even when we rebel against His way, He still provides for us and heals us…

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.
They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;
These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.
For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.
They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.
They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.
Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.
He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.”

Remember the twelve, when they were in the storm? What storm is He with you in now? Have faith. Believe in Him… Always remember, God doesn’t do short-cuts. Satan does short-cuts. You can see Satan in action with Jesus in the wilderness temptations. You can read about it in Matthew 4:11… Every temptation was a short-cut to what was promised in the scriptures. God is interested in purity. The “steel” inside an individual is what God is interested in and what He wants to develop (Psalm 12:6)

“Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.
Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.”

God is God. We are not. He will do what He wills. God is good. Let us thank Him for His goodness.

He has shown us the end of all things in that we will see Him. He said that the pure in heart shall see God. (Matthew 5:8 KJV) We see the end in Revelation and His provision to those that believe. Therefore the Psalmist declares, “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” (Psalm 26:7 KJV) Go and tell of His wondrous works. Past, present and FUTURE!

And finally, the words of Paul in his letter to the Phillipians in chapter 4 verse 6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

And with that, a great big “HAPPY THANKSGIVING!” to you, your family and all you hold dear. God Bless You!

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