He Blessed

Psalm 107 cont’d:

They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish.

What a pretty picture of a healthy family, one with a great spread in the country, gorgeous trees in a vineyard that are heavy with fruit, and cattle grazing on the hillside!  Have you seen those images on any road trips you’ve taken?  I’ve seen them, and sometimes I want to stop and picnic under a shade tree and just gaze at the beauty.

God enables us to experience great times of planting and harvest, of yielding fruit, of experiencing his blessings, and of exponential growth.  That’s all part of our walk with him.

However, we know that our entire lives do not consist of times like these, because rains fall, drought occurs, and storms happen.

It’s important to give him thanks in both situations, because He is good forever…not just when our lives are picture perfect. 

Are you thriving right now?  Give thanks.  Are you struggling right now?  Give thanks.  God loves us in both seasons, and is the Lord of all.

He Turned

Psalm 107 con’td

He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;  there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.

I’ve never seen an actual desert transform into a pool of water, but I have seen some other cool things happen after a long period of rain.  We have some pretty severe cracks in the walls of our house during the summer months, when it’s dry and hot.  However, it’s amazing to watch them literally close up when the fall rains begin, and before long they are no longer visible.

I’ve also experience a thirst so real and mind consuming on those same hot, summery days that nothing satisfies until I have taken in a lots of water, and in a few minutes time I’m refreshed and ready to go.

God does those things for us spiritually.  He is quite fully aware of the cracks in our theology, the dryness in our faith, and the hunger and thirst that exists within our souls that cannot be quenched by anything other than Him.

When those cracks appear in our walls, there’s really nothing we can do to close them. We have to pray for rain.  We can artificially water with the hose around our foundation, but once the summer heat is on, that little bit of soaking does nothing.

Are you parched, dry, and cracked?

God doesn’t leave us hungry and thirsty, on the side of the road to die.  He has a place where we can thrive, settle, and live….that’s the kind of God we serve.

To a Whisper

Psalm 107 cont’d

Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.

He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.  They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.

It’s the day after…

Your stomach may be hurting from all the rich food, maybe you’re super tired from all of the work that goes into the meal, or perhaps your relative got on your last nerve, etc.  I’m sure there is some memory from yesterday that sticks in your mind, good or bad.

We all have experiences that differ from our neighbor’s lives.  And we all find ourselves at times in the middle of mega storm, at our wits’ end (as stated in a verse prior to these).

However, in the middle of the worst kind of storm, the Lord whispers and waves hush.  I can see a picture of that now – we’re out to sea and waves are huge and lapping against the boat, threatening to wash over and drown us – and He shows up and says ever so softly, “Be still,” and the waves fall in complete hush, and silent stillness ensues.

The seas grow calm and we gently wash ashore to our destination, safe and sound.

God has a destination for you – one where peace reigns.

The sea will not always rage, if you belong to Jesus.  He knows just how high the waves are, and he knows just how small and insecure you feel.  Cry out to him to still the storm around you, or to still the storm inside you.

Be glad and listen for his whisper.

Tell It

Psalm 107 cont’d:

Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.

We’ve been writing for days now about God’s incredible rescues and his power to find us and deliver us from the darkest of places, the most remote dungeons, and the heaviest of chains.

Here we are told to sacrifice “thank offerings” and to “tell of his works” with “songs of joy.”

Three responses to the One who delivers.

Today is Thanksgiving Day.

I encourage you to give thanks for God’s goodness in your lives today.

I encourage you to tell someone of what He’s done for you, even if it’s just the family member sitting next to you at the table.

I encourage you to sing a song of joy – with your own made-up words – or with words and lyrics from a song you’ve heard and love.

And once this day is over, your stomach is full, and you’re snuggled in for the night, make it your plan to respond to him in these three ways every day.  Begin to look for the good and expect it, as you cry out to your Savior to rescue you and set you in a good place.

If today doesn’t go so well, because of family problems, lift up a prayer to God to rescue those you love, and give Him thanks for the answer.

Happy Thanksgiving!

His Word

Psalm 107 cont’d:

He sent out his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

More descriptive words telling us of God’s great power to save are found in these verses!

Sometimes God sends people to lift us up, or he brings us to a church or group of friends who enable us to rise, but other times…

He just send his Word.

Did you know that one word from the mouth of your Father – one word of acceptance, of forgiveness, of assurance – can set you free?

I’ve had complete whole days ruined because of one mean word someone said to me.

So it stands to reason that if I hear one kind word from mouth of the One who matters, it will make my day awesome.

It not only makes for awesome days, his Word can rescue us from death!

When we are completely hopeless in this life, we want to end this life, and be done.

We must hear his words of hope this season, words that promise us a future and a hope, plans for good and not evil.

Those are truthful Words.

Give thanks for his love that never ends and his deeds that are oh, so kind.

Brought Out

Psalm 107 cont’d:

He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

Do you know what “utter” darkness is?  What about gates of bronze, and bars of iron?  Doesn’t that sound like a dungeon of the lowest, deepest level – with no way out?

There is NO place too dark, too far, too binding, too remote, or too difficult to reach for God.

Notice the verbs used in these verses:

He brought them out

He broke away

He breaks down gates

He cuts through

Sounds like some sort of super hero, right?  I think super hero movies are so popular because we all, even from the time we are little children, love a good story of an impossible rescue made possible by a man in a cape who can fly through the air and save the ones in distress and bring them to a safe landing.

God can do all of that and more, if we just ask him to come and rescue us where we are, and we look for him to appear in all of his might, glory, and power.

Thank you, Lord, for your amazing rescues from the worst of the worst of places – you always find us!

Then They Cried

Psalm 107 cont’d:

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains,  because they rebelled against God’s commands and despised the plans of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.

We mentioned a few days ago that many times we suffer from outside circumstances beyond our control, and we need a rescue.  However, there are other times that we suffer because of our own disobedience or foolishness, and we fall into bitter times. 

But wait – there is hope for both situations! God doesn’t just help and answer those who cry to him because of harm done TO them – he answers and helps those who are in harm’s way because of their OWN behavior!  

We hear of celebrities or athletes who end up in jail because of some “stupid” behavior and we often comment, “Well that’s what they get for being so bad…” 

But God doesn’t give us what we deserve – he offers mercy – his grace – undeserved and free.

There is no other name by which we can be saved but the name of Jesus, the one who came and rescued us out of our sin when we didn’t deserve it, he releases us from darkness even when we wandered into the darkness of our own free will, and he still delivers us from the pit of trouble into which we fall – for whatever reason.

That’s something to give thanks for today!

Satisfied

Psalm 107:7

He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.  Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

I’ve been hungry before and sat down to a delicious-looking meal, only to be terribly disappointed, stomach full, but completely dissatisfied when the meal ends.  It was very frustrating, because I was soooo hungry….before I ate.

I’ve also been super thirsty for water, but none was available, so I drank a soda or some other sweet beverage that tasted good but didn’t quench my thirst – at all – again disappointed and still thirsty.

Have you experienced the same?

The Lord knows when we are hungry and thirsty and he knows just what will satisfy.  There’s a verse in the New Testament that says if we ask God for bread, will he give us a stone? Of course, not!

Our God knows us, inside and out.  And when we cry to him in our hunger and thirst, he knows just how to fill us, satisfy us – all with good things.

Pretty cool God, we serve, right? I’m so thankful for his fatherly care…

They They Cried

Psalm 107:3

Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.

This season I’m so thankful for those who were available to hear God and be instrumental in helping me and delivering me in times of trouble and distress. 

There are times in all of our lives when we feel as though we’re in a desert, we’re hungry and thirsty, time is passing by, and we are wasting away.  It happens to all of us.  Either we lose a job or a spouse, or even a child, and our world is rocked and changed forever, or we suffer an illness or experience a mental breakdown, or a number of other extremely hard circumstances.

It’s then that we can cry out to God and he will deliver us from our distress.  It might be through a friend’s help, a church’s resources, or it might just be his still quiet voice in the middle of the night, with words that speak to our souls and bring life where there was nothing but death.

If you’re in that wasteland today, just cry out to Him – the one who hears and answers – and look, expecting to be delivered…

Tell Your Story

Psalm 107:2 Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,  those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.

My story is this:  I was raised in a Christian home but as so many kids like that, I rode on the coattails of my parents for faith and provision, and never really confronted my own faith until I was about 30 years old.  It was then that everything I knew, everything I owned, and everything I believed was challenged.

It was a hard several years as we suffered loss of all kinds, and my faith was shattered, and I was faced with this question, “Is Jesus enough?”

I’m very thankful to report that He indeed was, and still is, enough.  Theology, my own experiences, and even the faith of others, did not sustain me when storms hit me personally and knocked me silly.  It was his love and his revelation to me that he loved me as I was, broken and confused, and he was well able to carry me through every hard place, into his arms of safety and peace.

It’s a daily walk with him, now, not just a once a week on Sunday taste.  I know he is good, he is faithful, and he proves it to me and mine every minute of every day.

I invite you this Thanksgiving to tell your story to others, of his goodness in your lives, or to seek him and find his goodness…today.

Give Thanks

Psalm 107 says to give thanks to the Lord for he is good – his love endures forever.

It’s one week until Thanksgiving.  I’m going to give thanks for one thing each day of this next week, here in my devotion.  I invite you to do the same, with me…

Today I’m thankful for you.  If you’re reading this devotion, it means you’re wanting to spend a moment in the word, reflecting on Him.  I’m thankful that you desire to do that.  And so together, let’s give thanks for each other.

I thank you God for readers, for friends, for other women across the nation that I might not even know, who are taking time to stop by here today to devote a few minutes to you, Lord.

I thank you for the common thread we have of knowing you, desiring you, and loving you.

And I thank you for your word that establishes us all together on the same foundation, the rock that never moves and never gives way.

Thank you for reading today.  He IS a good God and he has good plans for you.  Give him thanks for his love, because it’s the only love that lasts for eternity…

Let Us Be

Hebrews 12

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

Here’s another verse where being thankful is a response, it’s a reaction to something else.  

And here it’s the reaction to the realization that we serve a big God, the King of Kings, whose kingdom is unshakable.  That’s huge!  

If we really believe that the kingdom of God, the place where we live safely and protected, cannot be shaken – we cannot be moved – we are in his hands – we will be thankful!

In fact, worship will ensue once we realize this awesome fact about our place with him. And our worship will be acceptable to him because it stems from a thankful heart.

I believe any time thankfulness precedes worship, it’s pleasing to Him.

Reverence and awe are two components of worship that often come with a quiet spirit and reflection on who God is, his bigness and his attentiveness to the smallest details of our lives.

Spend some time responding to the King in worship…and be thankful

Devotedly Thankful

Colossians 4:2

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

It’s interesting that so many of the verses I’m reading on being thankful really include a pattern, a progression, and prerequisite…before the thankfulness comes.

Isn’t that the way it is with our kids?  They’re playing, they’re preoccupied, or they’re running around and suddenly they’re tired and exhausted.  They lie down and listen to our songs we sing over them, they look into our eyes that look at them with love, and they whisper, “Thank you, mommy, I love you.”

To devote ourselves to prayer and then be watchful requires that we stop and pause to look up, petition and praise the Lord, and then look around us at his goodness in our lives.  

These two actions are prerequisites for thankful hearts.

When we’re too busy, our minds are too full, and our lives are a merry go-round, we have to get off, settle down, hear him sing over us and look into our eyes, so that we too can respond by saying, “Thank you Father, I love you.”

Be Thankful

Colossians 3

 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

It’s hard to be thankful when we are not at peace, isn’t it?  When chaos is all around us, fear haunts us, and storms are raging, we don’t quite feel like giving thanks.  However, it’s in those times that we need to acknowledge the peace of Christ in our hearts and let it rule over our circumstances.  And give thanks.

It’s also hard to have a grateful heart when there’s not a song in our heart, isn’t it?  When our hearts are heavy, our spirits are crushed, and our bodies are just plain weak and tired, giving thanks isn’t really on our agenda.  However, when we sing from deep inside where His Spirit dwells, gratitude begins to rise.

If your situation is less than ideal this season, try giving thanks to Jesus for his gifts to you and yours.  Try singing a song of gratitude to him, if it’s nothing more than a simple tune and lyrics like, “Thank you Lord for loving me…”

And see if that peace doesn’t start to rule and that richness start to surface….

Overflowing

Colossians 2

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

There’s a progression to the thankfulness mentioned in this verse:

Receiving Jesus Christ

Living your life in him

Staying rooted and built up in him

Being strengthened in faith

Overflowing with thankfulness

When we receive Jesus, we invite him into our hearts and we believe and accept his salvation, forgiveness, and new life.  In response to his great love, we devote our lives to honoring and obeying his word, living for him, established in him, and growing stronger in him daily.

Out of that kind of lifestyle there’s a thankfulness that begins to overflow.

That’s a true heart of thanksgiving – one that lives in response to His Great Love for us.

While Eating...

Matthew 26:26

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke It and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”

Sometimes we pray as a family before our meals and offer thanks, and other times we forget.  I’m not a stickler for rituals like that, but I do think pausing to give thanks before we eat is a good thing.

It teaches our kids to pause and realize their blessings.

It requires noticing what we have and extending thanks to the giver.

It blesses our father’s heart when we thank him.

It multiplies that which we’re eating so that it nourishes our body.

Jesus gave thanks, and then he served his food to his followers.

Thanksgiving Day is just around the corner.  What is your family doing to pause and give thanks to one another, and to Him?  There are a myriad of ways to do so, and it’s worth pausing to consider at least one of them.

On Your Bed

Psalm 149 cont’d:

For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.

Okay, we know God is delighted when we worship him.  We get it that he exalts us when we are truly humble before him. 

But why does he state here that we are to rejoice over these two things, and sing for joy…on our beds!?

Isn’t that a funny picture? 

Not really.

I don’t know about you, but in my bed at night is when all the worries of the day, the cares of the week, and the wonder of tomorrow all come together in a heavy presence over my mind. 

I then have two choices:

I can go to sleep crying, fretting, begging God, and imagining the worst…

Or I can choose to rejoice, remain faithful in my praise, and allow his Spirit to lift me above all that darkness into songs of joy.

What better way to drift off to sleep than singing songs of rejoicing in his goodness and love?

It’s better than a warm glass of milk, a sleeping pill, or a noise machine…

Rejoice in Your Maker

Psalm 149 cont’d:

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker;  let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.

I’m sure we’ve all enjoyed music through dance, by playing or listening to instruments, or by simply rejoicing.  It’s easy to get caught up in the hype of concerts that have all of these components, and it’s fairly easy to join in them at the moment with the loudness, the movement, and the beauty of the music.

But…have you brought your own “drum” to him and played for him personally, danced before him with your head on his shoulder, or rejoiced in Him by making your own music?

Corporate worship is inspiring, invigorating, encouraging, and can be downright enjoyable, if all of the components come together well – the music, the voices, the rhythm, and the lyrics. 

However, personal worship is a key component to a healthy lifestyle of worship, and it will be in the personal worship alone with your Maker that you are changed, lifted up, exalted to a place of adoration and peace, and realize your purpose on this earth…

Rejoice in him with dancing, music, and instruments – both there with them – and here alone – with Him.

A New Song

Psalm 149:1

Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.

Okay, here’s the kind of praise we’re used to – singing with a congregation of people.

But are we used to singing a “new” song?  

I’m not referring to a new song that the leader displays with lyrics we’ve not heard, a melody that’s not familiar, and one we have to hear over and over until we learn it.

I’m referring to the newness and freshness of walking with the Lord daily.  There should be new reasons to praise him every day, from seeing his mercy displayed to us, to observing others in need of his mercy that we can extend.  We should have eyes, ears, and hearts open to the newness of each day, much like the dew that newly appears every morning.

Then when we arrive to sing with other believers, we bring our new song – our thankful heart – and we offer it up in song with the others who have gathered.

We contribute to the assembly of the other faithful ones, and the sound that rises is much like the sound of heaven – praises that bring a smile to God’s face – the pleasure of his presence visiting his people who choose to praise him with a new song.

From the Earth

Psalm 148 contd

Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,  lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,  you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children.

Wow, that pretty much covers everyone and everything in God’s creation, right?

It seems that sometimes we think we’re only praising God if we’re in a church-type setting, if we’ve got our eyes closed, our hands lifted, and our thoughts in the clouds.  That kind of praising God is good and a blessing.

But the everyday praising the Lord by breathing, obeying, producing fruit, moving, eating from his hand, enjoying our surroundings, etc. is just as important and necessary as the quite worshipful times in a congregation.  In fact, the lifestyle of praising the Lord is sustaining, fulfilling, and certainly pleasing to our Lord.

My favorite part of this passage is “that do his bidding.”

That’s really what praise is all about, just doing what he asks us to do, what we are created to do, what we are able to do…while responding to the God who loves us.

Praise the Lord.