No matter what may be happening in your life, no matter how bad things may seem, there is always room to be thankful. Even with Barbara facing a fourth bout with cancer, this time inoperable, stage-four cancer, we still have so much for which to be thankful.
Over the past three months, we have visited Barbara's family in California, spending quality time with her mother, brother, sister and their families. We have visited my family in Nebraska, visiting with my brother and his family. And above all else, we took a trip to Oklahoma to spend quality time with our son Tim.
Psalm 107:1 says, "Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever" (NIV). You see, there is always room for thankfulness because it is the Lord to whom we give thanks. It is all about the Lord Jesus. It is not about us. It never has been about us. If it was ever about us, it would be all doom and gloom. But it isn't. It is about God our Savior. That is why we can give thanks regardless of the situation in our life.
Because it is all about Jesus, we can give thanks because "he is good" (v. 1b). Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him" (NIV). No matter what life situation you face, "take refuge" (v. 8b) in Jesus and you will "see that the LORD is good" (v. 8a).
Two more Psalms expound on this thought: Psalm 31:19 says, "How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you" (NIV). Those who "fear" (v. 19a) the Lord, or who are in awe of Him and humble themselves before Him; those who trust Him and "take refuge" (v. 19b) in Him, will have an abundance of "good things" bestowed upon them "in the sight of all" (v. 19a).
Psalm 84:11 says, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless" (NIV). The Lord lights our way ("a sun") and "shields" us from evil (v. 11a). He "bestows favor and honor" (v. 11b) on those who trust Him. He holds nothing back "from those whose walk is blameless" (v. 11c), but showers them with all good things.
Because it is all about Jesus, we can give thanks because "his love endures forever" (Psalm 107:1c). Psalm 86:15 says, "But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness" (NIV). Because He is filled with compassion and grace, His patience and love and faithfulness overflow to those who trust in Him.
That is why we can cry out with the Psalmist, "Help me, Lord my God; save me according to your unfailing love" (Psalm 109:26, NIV). Again, no matter what life situation you face, you can be thankful because it is all about God, and His love never fails. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment