Thankful

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

Your expression of thanksgiving is one of the best ways to testify to the greatness of God. The book of Psalms is a great example, replete with confessions of thanksgiving, and encouragement to be thankful. Another example is a psalm not found in the Psalms. It’s found in 1 Chronicles 16. It’s the story about the Ark being brought to Jerusalem. David wanted everyone to join the celebration of thanksgiving and praise. 

After his encouragement to express thankfulness, he wrote a rather long and rich psalm. It sparked thanksgiving and praise for a variety of things:

God’s wonderful deeds among His people (9-10)

God’s strength (11)

God’s miracles and judgments (12)

That God remembers His covenant forever (13-18)

That God protects His people when they are vulnerable (19-22)

That God delivers His people (23)

That God is not like other gods (24-27)

That God is glorious and strong (28)

The beauty of God’s holiness (29)

At that point in the psalm, praise erupted. Everyone, praise the Lord and give Him the glory He deserves — the Earth, the heavens, the sea and everything in it, crops in the fields, trees — “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good! His love endures forever” (30-34) 

David closed this psalm with a prayer, “Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank Your holy name and rejoice and praise You” (35).

If you have been rescued by God — saved, redeemed, born again, whatever you call it — say, “Thank You,” rejoice, and praise the Lord. “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107.2). Not only will it bless you, it will be a testimony to those around you of the greatness of our God!

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done. 1 Chronicles 16.8