"It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy." Psalm 92:1-4, The Holy Bible: English standard version.
The Psalmist speaks of thanksgiving as a good thing. Singing praises to the name of God is a good thing. He goes on to recite reasons for thanksgiving. God's steadfast love, God's faithfulness and God's work are all reasons to thank him and to offer praise to his name.
God's steadfast love is not shown in keeping us from difficulties, despair, sorrow and troubles. Instead, his love is shown in keeping us during difficulties despair, sorrow and troubles.
He never promised a bridge over troubled waters. He promised, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." "Fear not, I am the One who helps you." "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."
Steadfast love is not in words but in actions. In this world we will always have trouble, but Jesus said, "take heart, I have overcome the world." He has promised to be with those who place their faith in him, "to the end of the age."
Don't let the troubles of this world overwhelm you. Let the God of peace come into your life and walk along with you keeping you steady when trouble comes.
"Steadfast" describes God's love, and "faithfulness" causes us to trust him in all things. The apostle Paul assured Timothy, his son in the faith, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful "" for He cannot deny Himself."
Humans fail in many ways. We fail ourselves, we fail our friends and our friends sometimes fail us. Yet, in spite of all that, our God remains faithful. He will keep His word and will be with His people in times of joy and sadness, in life and in death.
The highest level of his faithfulness is seen the following promise, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His son, Jesus Christ our lord." (1 Corinthians 1:9)
Even when we feel that our faithlessness has let God down, we need to forget our feelings and remember his faithfulness. Remember, we can't let God down, because we are not holding him up. He holds us up in all things when we put our trust in him.
God's work is another reason to give thanks. His work, for us, began when he spoke the universe into being, created the earth and placed man and woman on it. I never cease to give thanks as I travel over the region we live in. Almost every curve of the road reveals another potential postcard or e-mail attachment. I cry out with David the King, "The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance."
The beauty of the creation should cause us to give thanks. It is the work of our God and we can rejoice in it. However, if God's work ended with the creation we would be in trouble. Because "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and "the wages of sin is death," but "the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
For mankind, salvation is God's greatest gift. Give thanks!
Waylen O. Bray is pastor of Stamford Baptist Church.
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