Devotional on Psalm92 continued
Read Psalm 92 It is Good
So what’s good in your life? Wonderful family, good friends? Great job . . . well, maybe not a great job but still the privilege of good and worthwhile work? A strong, vibrant church and abundant blessings in fruitful ministry? A debilitating illness, the loss of cherished loved one? Maybe relationship problems, harsh personalities or a difficult situation at the office? Wait a minute. That’s nuts, you say? You can’t combine wonderful and great, privilege and blessing in the same category with illness and loss, problem and difficulty. They are polar opposites. Good – bad, black – white. And yet, it is good to give thanks for everything.
The world looks at its life and says, “Thanks for what?” But as children of Grace, we should experience life and give thanks in all things. Still, sometimes it is extremely hard to look at the circumstances of our lives and give thanks, let alone heartfelt, active, joyful, praising thanks. Seems impossible sometimes, you say? If you are looking only at your circumstances, your lot in life and where you are right now, yes, it is impossible. And if that is the case, then you are looking in the wrong direction. Thanks is to be given to the Lord for who He is – all His wonderful attributes, all His magnificent works, His personal attention to us, His personal protection, everything He is in the life He creased in us. It is not a matter of “thanks for what” but “thanks for Whom.”
Thanks for Whom – it’s a change of focus, a change of perspective, and ultimately a transformation through anointing. Trying to express thanks for your circumstances means you are looking at the circumstances and trying to rationalize something good out of it. For with the acknowledgment and appreciation of all His extraordinary splendor, we receive an anointing, giving us His eyes, His understanding. Our perspective changes and now the circumstances of our lives become clear and even cherished.
So what’s good in your life? With the anointing light of Christ, the good and blessed become radiant and the problems and difficulties are looked on triumphantly. Everything becomes a cherished victory from the hand of God. It is good to give thanks.
Food for Thought
1. What do you learn about giving thanks from the following verses? 1 Chronicles 16:7; Psalm 145:7; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18
2. (a) From Psalm 92, list all the phrases which indicate that the psalmist is giving thanks for who God is and then list all the phrases which indicate the psalmist is giving thanks for his own personal circumstances.
Thanks to God ------------Thanks for Circumstances
(b) Which type of thanksgiving comes first and why do you think the psalm is written in that order?
So what’s good in your life? Wonderful family, good friends? Great job . . . well, maybe not a great job but still the privilege of good and worthwhile work? A strong, vibrant church and abundant blessings in fruitful ministry? A debilitating illness, the loss of cherished loved one? Maybe relationship problems, harsh personalities or a difficult situation at the office? Wait a minute. That’s nuts, you say? You can’t combine wonderful and great, privilege and blessing in the same category with illness and loss, problem and difficulty. They are polar opposites. Good – bad, black – white. And yet, it is good to give thanks for everything.
The world looks at its life and says, “Thanks for what?” But as children of Grace, we should experience life and give thanks in all things. Still, sometimes it is extremely hard to look at the circumstances of our lives and give thanks, let alone heartfelt, active, joyful, praising thanks. Seems impossible sometimes, you say? If you are looking only at your circumstances, your lot in life and where you are right now, yes, it is impossible. And if that is the case, then you are looking in the wrong direction. Thanks is to be given to the Lord for who He is – all His wonderful attributes, all His magnificent works, His personal attention to us, His personal protection, everything He is in the life He creased in us. It is not a matter of “thanks for what” but “thanks for Whom.”
Thanks for Whom – it’s a change of focus, a change of perspective, and ultimately a transformation through anointing. Trying to express thanks for your circumstances means you are looking at the circumstances and trying to rationalize something good out of it. For with the acknowledgment and appreciation of all His extraordinary splendor, we receive an anointing, giving us His eyes, His understanding. Our perspective changes and now the circumstances of our lives become clear and even cherished.
So what’s good in your life? With the anointing light of Christ, the good and blessed become radiant and the problems and difficulties are looked on triumphantly. Everything becomes a cherished victory from the hand of God. It is good to give thanks.
Food for Thought
1. What do you learn about giving thanks from the following verses? 1 Chronicles 16:7; Psalm 145:7; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18
2. (a) From Psalm 92, list all the phrases which indicate that the psalmist is giving thanks for who God is and then list all the phrases which indicate the psalmist is giving thanks for his own personal circumstances.
Thanks to God ------------Thanks for Circumstances
(b) Which type of thanksgiving comes first and why do you think the psalm is written in that order?
posted by Tammy at 2:00 AM
<< Home