10 Things to Be Thankful For Day 1: Give Thanks to the Lord (1 Chronicles 16:8 – 36)
“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!” (1 Chronicles 16:8)
King David sang these words after the ark of God was returned to its home in the tabernacle. It should have been there earlier, but if you go back to read Chapter 13 in the book of 1 Chronicles, you will discover that David made a poor decision and did not follow God’s command in regards to how to transport His ark. Because of David’s decision, Uzzah died immediately after touching the ark in order to stabilize it and keep it from tipping over. David became angry because of what the Lord had done, then he became fearful because I think he realized that even though God had just recently fulfilled His promise of making David king, it did not mean that David could do whatever he wanted. King David realized that God was still in charge. After a few months, David decided to once again attempt to bring the ark of God home, and this time he did it the right way (1 Chronicles 15).
King David broke out in praise and worship when they finally returned the ark. David gave food to everyone and he appointed Levites to thank and praise the Lord with musical instruments and with song. This song is also a part of Psalm 105, and David encourages everyone to give thanks to God and to tell everyone about Him. This passage got me to think about what I am thankful for. I realized that when I am truly thankful for something, I can’t wait to tell those around me. If I am not all that thankful, then I have a tendency to say, “Thank you” but then not say much after that. What about you?
Are you thankful for God and what He has done for you? I know that life is hard sometimes. This year has been especially difficult with all of the uncertainties that life seems to be bringing us at the moment. It’s especially important during these times to take time to remember what God has blessed you with, such as family, friends, job, and so on. When you look back on this year and all of the trouble that it brought, where have you seen God bless you? Did He bless you by giving you more time to spend with your family? Did He bless you by giving you an opportunity to grow beyond what you thought you were capable of?
Every day we need to thank God for Who He is and for what He has done. No matter what our current circumstances are, we can and should thank God. And not just through quick thoughts or prayers, but we should praise God by telling others about all of the wonderful things He has done for us. This Thanksgiving season, I want to challenge you to take note of everything God has blessed you with this past year. Then, go out and tell your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers about those things. That’s how you give thanks to the Lord.
Pastor David Guenin