Organised Thanksgiving
We tend to think about giving thanks as something spontaneous and unscripted and, to be sure, sincere thanks does express itself spontaneously and "as it happens".But there is also the need for "organised" thanks. A quick examination of the Old Testament shows that:
- David appointed people to give thanks when the tabernacle came to Jerusalem. (1Chr16:4ff) (He even wrote them a "thank You" song)
- Solomon had a choir of singers and trumpeters to inaugurate the temple (2Chr5:13)
- Jehoshaphat put the choir in front of the his army (2Chr20:21)
- Hezekiah cleansed the temple and appointed the newly consecrated Levites to offer praise to the Lord. (2Chr29:31 & 31:2)
But one of the loveliest examples is when Nehemiah rebuilds the city walls and they celebrate by praising God. He sets up two choirs and processions that start at the same place, but go around the city on top of the walls in opposite directions, singing and giving thanks and then meeting up at the temple in a culmination of praise and adoration.
There is great value in organised and structured praise. When we read the passage in Nehemiah we'll see that:
- Great effort was made to arrange and organise this thanksgiving service. There is music, choreography, interaction and planning. It is dramatic, exciting inspiring.
- There are a lot of names in the whole account. (Even in the selective reading below, you'll see just some of the names mentioned.) All these names indicate that people matter and that their presence was noted.
- Special mention is made of women and children (who, in the culture of the day, were taken for granted). This indicates the family nature of worship.
- There is a clear indication that as they gave thanks, God gave them great joy.
- The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away.
Has God been good to you (even in the midst of trouble)?
As you read the passage below, imagine Nehemiah and the two choirs, moving towards one another in a celebration of praise and thanks to God - as a nation they still have a long way to go, but they're pausing to give thanks.
Sunday gives you a chance to come to an organised time of thanks and praise. Will your name be mentioned as one of those who was there?
| I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks. One was to proceed on top of the wall to the right, toward the Dung Gate... 38 The second choir proceeded in the opposite direction. I followed them on top of the wall, together with half the people--past the Tower of the Ovens to the Broad Wall... 40 The two choirs that gave thanks then took their places in the house of God; so did I, together with half the officials, 41 as well as the priests--Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah and Hananiah with their trumpets-- 42 and also Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malkijah, Elam and Ezer. The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. (Nehemiah12:31-43) |
