Thursday, January 22, 2014
The Desire To Be Thankful
When I consider all that God does for me I can be both very happy and sad at the same time. I am happy because it truly is amazing how God stand up for us. David gives us many examples of this.
Psalms 18:1 I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
David was very moved by God helping him in times of need. We have all felt that, right? Just think of it. The One that created everything and has all power comes to our defense when we call.
Psalms 18:17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
What an amazing story of deliverance. David spoke of his righteousness and clean hands as a reason why God came to his rescue. But we know David did some pretty awful things. How did he have clean hands? Not because of his actions, but because he tried to follow God’s statues. He knew God would take away from him what was not good, that God would help him become a better person. That is what David wanted, and that is what all believers that truly follow God want. We want to do the right thing, and we trust God to help us get there because without Him we cannot be better. That leads me to what makes me sad.
It would be great to always do the right thing. It would make me happy to at least be thankful at all times. But there are times when I find myself being upset my food is not as warm as I want, or my car makes a funny noise, or the family doesn’t clean up their dishes after dinner. I can get caught up in those things. And that makes me sad because those are such small things in comparison to all that God is and has done and will do for me. It is my desire that we can all get to a place of living in a state of thankfulness. Yes, it is good to take time to sing praises and thanks, but what about that being our natural state? Somehow it seems that God deserves that from us, from me. That is who I long to be. That is one thing I cry out to God to help me become – a person thankful at all times and in all situations.
Prayer
Father, we exalt You. You are the Most High, yet You consider our every need before we even ask. Please help us. Please help us to change to be thankful to You for all You do no matter what is happening at the moment. Transform us. Help us get better. We love You, and want to be thankful at all times. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.