11/22/2022
It’s Tuesday, and we are drawing closer to the day when we will celebrate a national day of Thanksgiving in the United States of America, but thanking God is not something that should be particular to any certain country or people, but to all the earth. Believers should be letting not only their families and neighbors know what God has done for them, but sharing this with all people everywhere. Today let’s sing praises to the Lord, and do so loudly enough for the whole world to hear, so that our voices will invite every man woman and child to join us in faith.
““Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.”
Isaiah 12:5 ESV
This is not a season to complain about those who don’t give thanks as we do, or to wring our hands and bemoan the fact that others are lacking in faith! No, it is a time to lift our voices in praise, and tell everyone who will listen about the glorious things our Lord has done for us. These are days when our excitement builds to a crescendo, and as we approach the climax of this holiday, we should be inviting all of creation to join with us in worship.
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved...”
Mark 16:15-16 ESV
Thanksgiving is not a somber act, but one filled with joy! Halfhearted thanks are insincere, and like lukewarm praise that is neither hot nor cold. When God heals our child do we simply turn to Him, devoid of all emotion, and say “Thanks.”? No! We run to tell our family and friends singing, and shouting with joy about what Abba our Father has done! We sing new songs and glorify Him with lifted hands!
““‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”
Revelation 3:15-16 ESV
When we praise and thank God in joyous fashion the world turns to see what is happening, and when they hear our testimony sung with great celebration and awash with tears of joy, they will join us, and want to experience this mighty God to whom we sing, and our gracious savior Jesus… they will want to have what we have… our faith.
“for behold, the winter is past; the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.”
Song of Solomon 2:11-12 ESV
Are we ready to give thanks to our Heavenly Father, and sing a song of testimony that will draw all people everywhere to Him? Is this not our time of singing, and glorifying God, that reaches to the ends of the world?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for our voices, the sweet, and the raspy alike, that you have given us to lift in praise and thanksgiving. Thank you for your many blessings, and every mercy you have brought into our lives. Thank you for the joy we find in your goodness that moves us to sing of you to the world. Thank you for the lost who hear our song, and gather near to hear our testimony about you and your love that fills us with such joy. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God to whom we offer thanksgiving, and prayer without ceasing. Praised be your name for all you do in our lives, and for every blessing of which we sing, and offer our thanks. Merciful are you who sends us into the world with songs of joy, thanksgiving, and testimony that touch the hearts of the lost, and call to those who have strayed. Wash us with the blood of your Son Jesus, and cleanse us of all sin. Transform us into His image, and bring us before you to sing, words of thanksgiving and encouragement to all of creation. Let us bring you pleasure, and be called your sins and daughters. Lift us up, and seat us at your table forevermore.
“Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.”
Psalm 51:8-14 ESV
Rich Forbes