O Give Thanks to the LORD!

Over and over again in Psalm 136, you will read the phrase, “O give thanks to the LORD, for His mercy (or lovingkindness) is everlasting.”  Quite possibly this was a song which involved antiphonal singing—one part of a choir or the congregation singing the first phrase, and a second group responding with the great refrain “for His mercy endures forever.”

The unnamed psalmist gives an historical perspective starting with verses 4-9 and the miracle of creation.

Then from verses 10 through 22 he reminds Israel of their deliverance from bondage, the exodus from Egypt, and their victories over hostile nations on their way to the Promised Land.

The closing section is especially relevant in a time of uncertainty such as we are experiencing worldwide in varying degrees right now.

Verse 23 says that God remembered us in our lowly estate.

Verse 24 says He rescued us from our enemies.

Verse 25 mentions that He provides the food we need.

So, our response ought to be to give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.

 

Big Steps, Little Steps; Same Principle

As we walk the path of life, we take both big and little steps, depending on the need of the moment. We might be tempted to think ill of the little steps, considering the bigger ones as far more important. But never forget that one principle guides these steps that we take. That principle ought to be, “I will follow the Lord as I move ahead.”

Often, the big missteps are actually a combination of little steps that deviate from following God’s will.

Psalm 119:105 reads, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Follow the light!

The LORD’s Mercies are New Every Morning

Whether you and I realize it or not, God’s kindnesses to us are many, and they are fresh each day.  The prophet Jeremiah gives voice to this truth in the middle of his Lamentations after the city of Jerusalem fell to Nebuchadnezzar’s invading Babylonian army in 586 BC.  How natural and easy to wax eloquent on all that was wrong!  Jeremiah, who would becoming known as “the weeping prophet,” saw more misery in his life and ministry than most.  But Lamentations 3:22-23 is the pivotal passage in which Jeremiah reminds himself, “Great is Thy faithfulness.” 

Feel like complaining today?  We all have big and little problems that COULD become a focus of attention, whining, and discontentment.  But will griping really help us get through the storm, or will it fix the problems?  In all likelihood, no.  But there is a God in heaven Who knows your situation better than you yourself.  And He is faithful.

Life Lessons from the Sidelines

As I wait for my Achilles tendon to heal, I am reminded of several important lessons we all must learn in life. 

 (1) Accidents happen.  I was playing football with my sons, brother, and friends from church on a high school/college retreat.  A fluke accident resulted in the rupture of my Achilles tendon.  The contact couldn’t have been more unintentional.

(2) God is still in control.  Even when events are not all that we wish them to be, the LORD God is still sovereign.

(3) There is a silver lining, a purpose for good, in the seemingly bad things that happen to us.  My team lost the game 28-14, but I got to coach them from the sidelines. I witnessed our 2 youngest players make great catches when necessary, resulting in a successful TD drive.  (Kudos Jimmy & Jonathan W!) Tim Mann showed that he has a future in football.  My oldest sons covered the fleet-of-foot Josh John (honorary member of TW) so well that he didn’t factor into much of the scoring. And, in my final game as a player, I got to return to the field to try and rally the team in the last minutes of play.

(4) Adversity tests and proves quality.  While my Achilles tendon gave in when it encountered a powerful force (a foot belonging to LT) acting upon it, I got to end my playing career with the dignity of giving my all.  My team played well despite more than obvious disadvantage.  One played with a painful injury none of us knew about (Faithful Joe, you’re an iron man, too).  My brother, who is a congenital bilateral amputee, had to play both defense and offense instead of getting the chance to rest on the sidelines as we originally intended for him to do when we were on defense. Yet, my 6 teammates on Team White gave their leader cause to smile while I was applying ice to wounded ankle.

(5) God works things together for good.  No one wants to get hurt or have surgery if it can be avoided.  However, those closest to me can see that there is a benefit in this injury.  Some think I was trying to drive myself to hard in recent months, and now God is forcing me to slow down the rate at which I tackle certain projects. I have had time to think in new directions.  I have updated my computer skills that suffered from disuse for about 20 months.  I completed other goals that I wanted to accomplish, but couldn’t find the time to attempt.  This blog wouldn’t have started without my current circumstances.

MORAL:  The events of today are not going to surprise God. He has a purpose for your life.  He’s weaving the fabric to the tapestry even as you read this blog.  Work with Him so the finished product will be a divine masterpiece.