GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD
November 19, 2018
Prayer: Dear Lord, we are thankful for Your presence in our lives and for Your daily favor.
Scripture: Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the God of gods, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Give thanks to the Lord of lords,For His lovingkindness is everlasting.To Him who alone does great wonders, For His lovingkindness is everlasting; To Him who made the heavens with skill, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, For His lovingkindness is everlasting;
To Him who made the great lights, For His lovingkindness is everlasting: The sun to rule by day,
For His loving-kindness’s everlasting, the moon and stars to rule by night, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Psalm 136:1-9 NAS
It was the week before thanksgiving and I was talking with a friend after Bible study. “I don’t really feel like celebrating Thanksgiving this year,” she pouted, “I just don’t feel like I have anything to be thankful for.” I took a giant step back from her as I waited for lightening to strike. “Are you kidding me?” I asked. “I know it has been a hard year, but with every trial there was blessing that immediately followed.”
She had experienced a trying year. Her husband was out of work – but every month there had been enough money to pay the bills. She had health issues – but had been able to work when shifts were available. Her children had made some bad choices – but a new grandbaby had been born. A loved one had returned safely from Iraq, her marriage was strong, she never missed a meal, she was loved, she had a warm, safe home, and most of all she was redeemed by a loving Savior and knew she was heaven bound someday! If that is not cause for thanksgiving I do not know what is.
We all have days like these. I am not judging my friend at all; she just needed a reminder about how good God is and had been. I love psalm 136 because it is a recounting by Israel of God’s goodness to them from His being the One true God, to Creation, to bringing them out of slavery in Egypt, being with them in the wilderness, forgiving them, their inheritance, the Promised land, and finally for His daily love and provision. Every sentence of thanks is followed with “His love endures forever.” He has been good, He is good, and He always will be good.
In every grade, when I was a student, I was asked to draw, tell, or write about what I was thankful for during the Thanksgiving season. Maybe you have lesson plans that reflect this type of assignment, too. As a group or individually I want to suggest that you write your own Psalm, like Psalm 136, recounting His goodness and mercy in your life, as Creator, Savior, Sustainer, Provider, Teacher, Guide, and so on.
November can be a hectic month with looking ahead at two holidays and all that needs to be done at home and school. Take a look back to see what God has done, so that you can look ahead, giving thanks and knowing that His love endures forever.
Copyright Kathy Branzell. Email [email protected]