“Thank God! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek God. Live a happy life! Keep your eyes open for God, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered – O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen.” Psalm 105:1-6 Message
It is so easy to find ourselves focusing on the disappointments of life, and the things we think God is not doing. The trouble with doing this is that we will quickly find ourselves living a life of frustration and missing all that God really is doing around us. It is hard to walk with a grateful heart and a frustrated one at the same time. Gratitude is a cure for so much more in our lives than we might like to believe.
In this Psalm, we are told to do a few things that will expose our ingratitude, but will also remedy it. David begins with a strong declaration of two simple words. “Thank God!” These words can hold immense power in our lives if we use them. They have the ability to release us into a place of God focus and away from self focus. They bring to the surface reasons by which we can give thanks to God for who He is. They have the power to shift us from looking at what we think is lacking, to knowing what we really do have. Maybe just thanking God is a really great place to start for anyone wanting to overcome and to see God’s perspective in our world.
Many think you need a reason to give thanks, but to a grateful heart they see there are a multitude of reasons, even in the darkest moments of life, to truly give thanks.
This Psalm challenges us to do just that regardless of what is happening in our lives.
We are told to rejoice in the name of God. His name represents His character. Many boast in success, strength, money, and possessions, but we are to boast in the character and the nature of God. Our God is faithful. Today, tomorrow, or in the future storm, we get to pray to a God who is faithful in our every moment. He is the source of all blessing in our lives. Not one of the blessings we have can we truly say that we have sourced ourselves.
We are reminded to review God’s provisions. God has forgiven all of our rebellions. When Israel failed to believe God at the Red Sea, when they complained about lack of food in the wilderness, or bowed to worship a golden calf, God did not leave them. He provided for and forgave them. Not one moment of your life or of mine has been out of the care of God. Even when we have grown cold in our love He has been our provision. He has been there. He has calmed our storms. He has sustained us in the wilderness. He has been, and continues to be our provider. What do you need? God is your answer.
We are then encouraged to reflect on what God is doing. You can not truly look at God and miss what He is doing. We are told to keep our eyes open for His presence and for His work. Rather than say, “God is doing nothing.” Wouldn’t we be honoring the Word more by believing God is at work and looking around for Him and what He might be doing around us? What am I missing because I have failed to believe God is working in a way that is different than I might be expecting? Today might just be the right moment to stop the human assessment of Divine activity. This type of assessment only reveals the carnality in me, not the character of the One I long to demonstrate. God is not asleep. He is very much awake and very much at work.
Today, I declare, “Thank God!” Thank God that He doesn’t need my faithfulness for Him to be faithful. Thank God for being the source of all the blessings I know and enjoy. Today, as I review God’s provisions in my life I confess, even when I didn’t believe He would come through, He has always come through anyway. As I reflect on what God is doing, I am grateful. He is softening hearts in my community and making people more tender toward Him. He is giving me opportunity to link my life with other members of His body to enrich my life in Him. He is breaking down walls and barriers that previous generations would have only dreamed of seeing fall. God is at work. Today, I give thanks. I am grateful.
Comments(6)
Susan Craig says:
January 28, 2015 at 2:13 amLook for God working in whatever situation you find yourself in-He has a purpose that we may or may not see or understand but there will be glimpses of His presence if you search for them. The negatives in life are so obvious that they grab our focus and attention and make us feel like God is absent and does not care. But He is present and He always cares for us therefore it is our task to search for Him in the midst of what ever we are going through. Encouraging others who have lost their hope and are feeling abandoned is one way we can demonstrate the presence of God in their situation. Any small act of kindness that we give to another can be a way that we demonstrate God’s love and care for that person. Look for ways to be His Hands and His loving heart in the midst of tragedy and despair. Thankful for all those who demonstrated God’s love and care towards me in seemingly small but not insignificant ways. Thankful that God is always with us in the storms of life-proving to us that He cares for us and that we are not alone. Thankful for the hope He gives to each of us in our trials. Thankful for His faithfulness to me.
Patricia De'Bell says:
January 28, 2015 at 5:13 am“Thank God that He doesn’t need my faithfulness for Him to be faithful”. I give up on myself – frequently – and yet, amazingly, stunningly, He doesn’t give up on me. Loves me, when I can’t love myself. Praying to focus on Him more and more and much less on myself! He is the source of everything good, of love and light. Looking into myself, looking at my past, is futile. God is here, now, loving me, loving us all – and as we focus on Him, Love incarnate, so we are enabled to love Him, each other – and ourselves. I thank God for His great love for us. Thank You, Lord!
Pat McRae says:
January 28, 2015 at 7:02 pmSo I can only smile and declare GOD IS GOOD! How He orchestras His plans for many to be on the same page on the same day always amazes me.
Today is our weekly day of prayer and fasting. Usually I sit or walk and just pray. But not today! I felt to bring my earphones and music and I had such a wonderful time in His presences just dancing, praising and worshipping the Center of my life. Today my heart is so full of thanksgiving I really think I could stand on the mountaintop and shout His praises (it is the physical climb that stops that plan) but in the Spirit I am there shouting HALLELUJAH!!!
So easy on the mountaintop to sing unto Him and declare all He has done and is doing. To rejoice is like water flowing from a heart to full to hold His marvellous deeds. But in these times do I remember the judgments of His mouth? I guess this is a question I will leave for another time.
Today I am thankful, so full of gratitude that I am His daughter. What follows is a declaration someone wrote for me to help me over a rough morning and as I daily declare it it is becoming part of me. “I am unique and extra-special to God. No one has ever looked exactly like me and had my personality and gifts. I am ‘the apple of His eyes’, His special treasure, a treasured possession. He sings and dances over me with shouts of joy. God called me to an unique ministry at a special time in my life and my growth is following a unique course designed by God just for me. I am God’s child – His very daughter.”
Yes my heart overflows with thanksgiving today.
Jim Holmes says:
January 28, 2015 at 11:05 pmYes…God has a name…and among the name’s of God is “Father”…calling us into a “heart” relationship with Him. He had called us to “talk” with Him, and to seek Him…and He will make make Himself known to you…for He promised us that He would be found by us…that He would have a relationship with us. How can we not but speak of Him…of our walk in the garden with Him…of the depth of His love for us…of His care for us…of His care for you. We can see His Presence at work in our world….as we look “unto Jesus…the Finisher of our faith”. His word is sure. There are wonders all around us. His work declares His glory. Come, Look and see. Praise His Wonderful Name. You and I are not alone. He walks with you and I.
Sue Holmes says:
January 28, 2015 at 11:08 pmThere are several things that stand out in this passage.
First, we are called to ‘pray to Him by name’. What are the many names that He has held in my life? He has been my Defender, my Healer, my Saviour, My Provider and the list goes on and on. To pray to Him by name means that I will need to recount who He has been in my life. In doing this how can I help but be thankful?
Flowing from that is “Tell everyone you meet what He has done!” I love the way God works. First, I need to recall what/who He has been in my life in the process of calling Him by name. But that isn’t enough. As I acknowledge who He is there should be an excitment building up that should spill over to those I meet. We each have a song and/or word of praise that should come from earnestly seeking after Him.
“Watch for His works”. How often have I missed God in my life because I haven’t been watching for Him.How often have I been quick to judge a situation as being void of Him because I didn’t learn to “be still and know that He is God”. He is an amazing God and it is not enough to be content with He has done in the past. I need to remember, but I also need to be alert and watchful.
All of this can not help but lead to an attitude of grattitude. What He’s done, what He is doing and what He will do! Not because of the ‘doing’ but because His actions are a picture of who He is. He does what He does because He loves me …. me. Nothing is more worthy of thanks than that. Today I thank Him for His reckless, endless love … for me.
Susan Craig says:
January 31, 2015 at 3:17 amMy mother had alzheimers disease and when it claimed most of her ability to communicate and remember-she still remembered every word and note of Jesus Loves ME and would sing it with me up until just before she passed into glory. I want to thank the Lord today that He remembers His own and was His own. I am so thankful for my wonderful christian mother who taught me about God’s love for me and demonstrated that love over and over again. I am thankful that He gives us a song to sing and this song is filled with reminders of His love for me. I want to shout from the rooftops YES JESUS LOVES ME so I can silence the voice of our enemy-Love really is the best gift!!