Title Psalm 138:1~8 Thanksgiving (Thanksgiving Day)
Contents
Psalm 138
"thank"
Today is Thanksgiving Day. The biblical origin of Thanksgiving can be found in the Old Testament Feast of Ingathering. God made a covenant with the Israelites on Mount Sinai after they had left Egypt. Soon, the Israelites became God's people. And God commanded His people to keep three feasts every year. “You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread three times a year to me. You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. You shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, as I commanded you, for in that month you came out of Egypt empty-handed. Keep it, for you have reaped the firstfruits of what you sowed in the field. Keep the Feast of Ingathering, because at the end of the year you gather from the field what you have toiled for and store it.” The three major festivals of the people of Israel are the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Passover), the Feast of Harvest Festival, and the Feast of Ingathering. Here, the Feast of Ingathering corresponds to today's Thanksgiving Day.
Today, through Psalm 138, I will tell you three things about gratitude.
First, thank you with all your heart.
Why should I give thanks with all my heart? David said, “I will sing praises to you before the gods.” This means that even if there are many gods in the world, I will thank God because the Jehovah I serve is the true God. In other words, because the God we serve is the true God, we must give thanks to God with all our heart.
It takes training and practice for our gratitude to become wholehearted gratitude, and for our gratitude to become wholehearted gratitude. For today's Thanksgiving service, the children's choir did not know how much heart they trained, prepared, and practiced. Only then will God be pleased.
Second, we must be thankful for the grace we have received.
Let's look at verses 2-3. David gave thanks as he worshiped God in the temple. The reason he worshiped with thanks was because he prayed to God in a difficult situation and God answered him. God gave him strength and made him strong. How can you not be grateful for the grace you have received? Of course you should be grateful. God's answer was not because David was worthy of an answer. David was well aware of this. It was because of God's kindness and faithfulness that God responded. It was 100% God's grace. It was 100% of God's grace that we received answers to our prayers. In particular, when God answered David, He answered with the Word. God gave David a promise. We believe that the Word of God empowers us and strengthens us. If you look at verses 4-5 of the text, you can see that everyone who hears the word of God becomes grateful. We do not know how many people on earth die without ever hearing the word of God. The fact that I am listening to the word of God itself is grace. Thank you.
Just because you've been saved, you've received grace, or that you've been blessed doesn't mean you're thankful for everything. The Israelites, who were living in slavery in Egypt, were freed from slavery by God's grace. He was saved from the plague of the death of the tenth eldest son in Egypt. After leaving Egypt, they crossed the Red Sea like land. I was led day and night by a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire. Manna came in the morning and evening and ate quail. They drank water from the rock. Everywhere he went, he won the war. For 40 years in the wilderness, his clothes did not fade and his shoes did not wear out. It was all God's grace and blessing. Despite receiving so many graces and blessings, the only thing the Israelites did during the 40 years in the wilderness was 'murmuring and complaining. That's right. Just because you've been saved, you've received a lot of grace, or that you've been blessed doesn't mean you're thankful.
Third, we must give thanks in faith.
Let's look at verses 6-8. Here David sang that the mercy of God is eternal. If God has helped you up to this point, won't you continue to help after today? David had such faith. So he is praying to God in faith. he was sure First, God will look down upon the lowly. Second, God will allow us to live in the midst of tribulation. Third, you will stretch out your hand and stop the wrath of your enemies. Fourth, you will save with your right hand. Fifth, God will reward you. Sixth, God's mercy will last forever. Seventh, God will not forsake you.
We must give thanks in faith. Daniel prayed and gave thanks even though he knew that he would be thrown into the lions' den (Daniel 6:10). Although Habakkuk did not exist, he rejoiced and gave thanks because of God (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Paul, who was constantly in tribulation and persecution, also lived with constant gratitude, and he demanded thanks from the church members as well. “Give thanks for everything.” Giving thanks in everything means giving thanks in faith even in situations where you cannot be thankful.
We are saved by faith. And we must live by faith. Worship must also be offered by faith. Gratitude must also be done by faith. First, you have to have a wish, believe that it will come true, and give thanks with faith.
tidy up.
Today is Thanksgiving. Over the past year, God has poured out so much grace, love, and blessings. Why did He pour out so much grace, love, and blessings? Thank you. First, thank you with all your heart. Second, we must be thankful for the grace we have received. Third, we must give thanks in faith.