Monday, November 23, 2015
Psalm 118:1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD ... FOR HIS MERCY
It is the beginning of "Thanksgiving Week." We will be urged this week by many to be thankful for things like family, friends, peace, and prosperity.
We should give thanks to the LORD -- for family, because He is the one who blesses husband and wife with children. He sets the solitary in families (cf. Psalm 68:6).
We should give thanks to the LORD -- for faithful Christian friends, they are worth their weight in gold. Our God would have us surround ourselves with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart (cf. 2 Timothy 2:22).
We should give thanks to the LORD -- for the peace we enjoy, not only the relative peace we enjoy in this country, but peace with God through the propitiation secured with Jesus' blood.
We should give thanks to the LORD -- for the prosperity we enjoy, recognizing that all that we have is a gift of a gracious Creator.
Many of us use the words of Psalm 118 as our "common table prayer." We should give thanks to the LORD for all of His goodness. Let's not forget the rest of the passage in our hurry to get to the turkey and gravy. Praise God that His mercy endures forever. He had mercy in Eden and did not simply start over but promised the Savior. When we sin, He does not cast us off, but has mercy and forgives for Jesus' sake. Amen!
