EmmDev 2019-08-06 [A Life of Thanksgiving] Thanks-giving is a sign of Health

Thanks-giving is a sign of Health

For many people the phrase "As the deer pants for the water..." brings warm recollections of a beautiful song of praise based on Psalm 42. But although the Psalm is much loved, it is actually a psalm that addresses a "dark night of the soul", a "desert time", "a spiritual winter", a "bout of depression" or whatever we want to call it.

The whole psalm is an internal conversation the psalmist is having with his soul that is struggling with feeling far from God. There is great beauty and wisdom in the Psalm which helps us in a number of ways. There's not time today to look at the whole of the Psalm or to dig too deep in the amazing guidance it offers, but here's a quick overview:

1. Acknowledge your struggle
2. Pour out your sadness to God
3. Put yourself in a place where you can see God's beauty
4. Learn to talk to your soul and point it toward God again
5. Keep doing it
6. Trust that God can help your soul!

For today I want to highlight one key thought:
When we are in a depressed state, we often look back to the "good old days" - days when we were happy, when the world felt right and we felt whole.

For the Psalmist that "good old" moment was a moment of praise, thanks and adoration. That got me thinking...
The times I've been happiest, healthiest, content and vibrant in my soul have been times where there has been a deep well of thanks-giving in my soul. I was focused on what I had, not what I didn't have. I had counted my blessings and not only did I know what I was thank-full for, I also knew Who I was grateful to.

I really do believe that when our lives are full of thankfulness, we are healthier, happier and more at peace. As you read our passage below, notice how gratitude is a vital part of the ideal healthy life the Psalmist remembers...

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. 2 My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, "Where is your God?" 4 These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.      (Psalms42:1-4)

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EmmDev 2019-08-02 [A Life of Thanksgiving] At Mealtimes

At Mealtimes

Many of us call it "saying grace" - the gospel writers call it "giving thanks". All four gospels faithfully record that Jesus "gave thanks" when He fed the 5000 and the 4000 and at the Last Supper. In addition, Luke tells us that Jesus "gave thanks" when he ate with the two Emmaus road walkers.

The phrase "saying grace" is interesting - it's the one I use more often to describe what we do before meals... In a sense we are "pronouncing grace" - we are declaring that every meal is a gift of grace. "Saying Grace" also had to do with praying a blessing on the food and this comes from the fact that in New Testament times meat was sacrificed to idols and then sold in temple butcheries and so Christians felt the need to "claim the food back". But on careful reflection I think I'll be trying to shift the emphasis to "giving thanks".

We had a friend who playfully suggested that instead of "giving thanks", "saying grace" or "blessing the food" at every meal, he would just pray over the boot full of groceries when they came back from their monthly shopping. This would just be more efficient!

But of course this is missing the point...

It's about "giving thanks" and realising that even our day to day basics are a gift and a blessing from God. "Giving Thanks" before a meal is an opportunity to quieten our souls, to recognise God's goodness, and to thank God, not only for food, but those around the table with us and for life itself.

We can't live without food and we can't live without God.
Giving thanks at mealtimes helps us remember this.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.      (Luke24:30)

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EmmDev 2019-08-01 [A Life of Thanksgiving] When?

When?

Today we look at another passage that explains the duties of the Levites who were appointed to serve the Lord at the temple, offering sacrifices on behalf of the people. One of the specific duties they were given was to give thanks in the morning, in the evening and whenever offerings were presented.

Having people specifically giving thanks to God when offerings were being presented piqued my interest... Surely an offering is already an expression of love, devotion and thanks? Why is it necessary to have a group of people that bathe an offering in a shower of thanksgiving?

Maybe the answer lies in something that Paul wrote to the Corinthians - that God loves a cheerful giver. In the denominational setting I am from, we don't take a collection, we take an offering. But sometimes an offering is costly... I remember once seeing a cartoon of a wife, baby and husband at the church door. The baby and husband are crying. The wife says: "I'm sorry that my baby is crying pastor, she's teething." The pastor replies "No problem, but why is your husband crying?" The wife replies "Oh he's tithing."

There are times that we bring our gifts to God and they are an offering - a sacrifice that comes at cost. It's then that we need to bathe our offering in thanks-giving.

But I am also challenged by the idea of formally appointing a group of people to give thanks in the morning and thanks at night. This makes it clear to me that this is important and shouldn't be neglected.

Just imagine the transformative power of bracketing your days with thanksgiving!!

So here's the challenge I've set for myself. For the month of August I am going to consciously start and end each day by thinking of 3 things that I am grateful for. To help me do this I'm going to stick a poster next to my bed to remind me. `Will you take the challenge?` (I will send you the poster by a separate email...)

When should we give thanks? Read the passage below for some good guidance...

They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the LORD. They were to do the same in the evening 31 and whenever burnt offerings were presented to the LORD on Sabbaths and at New Moon festivals and at appointed feasts.      (1Chronicles23:30-31)

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EmmDev 2019-07-31 [A Life of Thanksgiving] The #1 Reason to Give Thanks

The #1 Reason to Give Thanks

What is the number one reason for us to give thanks to the Lord?
- Is it because He is our Rock and Refuge?
- or because He is our Creator and Sustainer?
- or because He has been our Shield and Strength?
- or because He is our Shepherd and we are His Sheep?

The Old Testament has a repeating refrain:
"Give thanks to the Lord for He is good:
His love endures forever"

This phrase appears 41 times in the NIV translation of the Old Testament. The first time is in David's "thank you" song which we looked at yesterday. In the same section we're told that certain people were "chosen and designated to give thanks to the Lord because His Love endures forever. (1Chron 16:34+41)

The phrase occurs three times at the consecration of Solomon's temple and is the theme song of the choir Jehoshaphat puts in front of His army. It comes up again in the Psalms (100, 106, 107, 118 (5x), 136(26x)) and in Jeremiah (33:11) where it is the theme-song of the restored community.

Psalm 136 is a call and response psalm where the worship leader offers a phrase that calls the community to worship or to notice one of God's qualities. After each call, the worshiping community responds: "His Love endures forever!"

You might think that it would be tedious to repeat that one phrase over and over - but, if you think about it, God's enduring love really is the #1 reason for us to give thanks.

Try going through the day and every time you have/need a moment to be thank-full, just whisper to yourself "His love endures forever." You will see that 26 times isn't too much!

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever. 4 to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever. 5 who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. 6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. 7 who made the great lights-- His love endures forever. 8 the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever. 9 the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.       (Psalms136:1-3)

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EmmDev 2019-07-30 [A Life of Thanksgiving] An early Thank You song

An early Thank You song

When David was building up Jerusalem,long before there was a temple, he decided to bring the ark of the covenant and the tabernacle to his new capital city. On this occasion David danced and leapt for joy, earning the scorn and ridicule of his wife, but the pleasure of his Heavenly Father.
It was during this time that David appointed a group of Levites to be responsible for giving thanks and he also wrote a special song of thanks giving. This song is our reading today.
It is a long reading, but here are some thoughts and highlights:

1. This song has elements found in a variety of the Psalms and in many ways serves as a "overture", precursor or prototype of the Psalms.
2. There is a clear sense that our thanks to God should also be shared with the nations - People need to hear how good God is.
3. Songs, Rejoicing, and consciously Remembering what He has done are the ways in which we draw near to Him.
4. Then David remembers his forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and recalls how God watched over them and over Israel as they wandered through the wilderness.
5. Then he considers some of God's attributes (Saviour, glorious, great, majestic, strength, joy, and many more) and suggests some of our postures and attitudes (Sing, declare, bring an offering, ascribe, awe, come before and worship)
6. Then all of creation gets in on the act: Heavens, earth, sea, fields and trees. Look at the verbs used: Tremble, rejoice, be glad, resound, be jubilant and sing.
7. David brings it all together in the final stanza:
   Give thanks to God for He is good - His love endures forever
8. And then surprisingly he goes straight from thanksgiving to a request: "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glory in Your praise." But for David this is a logical consequence of his theology: When we ask God to do what only He can do, we are bringing Him praise - we're admitting our need for and dependence on Him.
9. And thanksgiving happens best when a crowd can say "Amen!"

Now read this beautiful song and give thanks!

That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the LORD: 8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. 9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. 11 Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. 12 Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, 13 O descendants of Israel his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones. 14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15 He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations, 16 the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. 17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 18 "To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit." 19 When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, 20 they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. 21 He allowed no man to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: 22 "Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm." 23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 25 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place. 28 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength, 29 ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. 30 Tremble before him, all the earth! The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved. 31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" 32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them! 33 Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. 34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 35 Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise." 36 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."      (1Chronicles16:7-36)

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EmmDev 2019-07-26 [A Life of Thanksgiving] Organised Thanksgiving

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:

1. Great effort was made to arrange and organise this thanksgiving service. There is music, choreography, interaction and planning. It is dramatic, exciting inspiring.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. There is a clear indication that as they gave thanks, God gave them great joy.
5. 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)

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EmmDev 2019-07-25 [A Life of Thanksgiving] Changing Perspective

   

Changing Perspective

Is the current wave of bad news, corruption and crime getting you down? Yesterday on the radio, the talk-show host invited people to phone in and talk about what they wanted a vacation from, because, (and she said this many times) "We are so depressed, discouraged and really really tired". People phoned in wanting a vacation from traffic, tough jobs, job-searching, crime, corruption, politicians, high costs, tiredness and discouragement.

In Psalm 28 David also expressed his need for a vacation: He felt he was like those going to the pit. He needed to cry for mercy and call for help. He was exhausted by wicked people who "speak cordially, but harbour malice in their hearts and show no regard for the works of the Lord." David longed for them to reap the rewards of what they sowed, and you sense his frustration at the injustice of their ongoing evil.

The turning point of the Psalm is not the moment that evil is dealt with, but the relief of knowing that God had heard him. The seventh verse contains this beautiful parallelism:
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

In these four lines we have a fact, a decision, a consequence and another decision.
The fact is that the LORD is our strength and shield. This truth is greater than the evil and pain in our lives. The decision David makes is to trust in the Lord. The consequence is that David is helped to the extent that his "heart leaps for joy". This leads to his second decision - to offer praise in song.

To give thanks is to shift our perspective. To give thanks in tough times only happens when we have turned our heads away from the realities that vex us and turn our faces to One who is greater. And then our need to sing crowds out the need to whine.

If you need a vacation from the "stuff" that's vexing you, take a read below...

To you I call, O LORD my Rock; do not turn a deaf ear to me. For if you remain silent, I will be like those who have gone down to the pit. 2 Hear my cry for mercy as I call to you for help, as I lift up my hands toward your Most Holy Place.3 Do not drag me away with the wicked, with those who do evil, who speak cordially with their neighbors but harbor malice in their hearts. 4 Repay them for their deeds and for their evil work; repay them for what their hands have done and bring back upon them what they deserve. 5 Since they show no regard for the works of the LORD and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again. 6 Praise be to the LORD, for he has heard my cry for mercy. 7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. 8 The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. 9 Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.      (Psalms28:6-7)

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EmmDev 2019-07-24 [A Life of Thanksgiving] Thanksgiving is our PURPOSE!

Thanksgiving is our PURPOSE!

Some people think that thanks-giving is merely an "attitude of gratitude" that makes life better or more bearable. They could not be more wrong! Giving thanks isn't the icing on the cake of life - it is one of the fundamental reasons of our existence.
Today's reading demonstrates this powerfully:

Paul is praying for the Colossians. He prays that :

• they would know God's will
  (through wisdom and understanding)
• in order to life lives that please God by:
  - bearing fruit in good works
  - growing in their knowledge of God
  - being strengthened by God to patiently endure
  - joyfully giving thanks!

For Paul, giving thanks was the outcome (the cherry on the top) of bearing fruit, growing and enduring.
In his prayer, Paul also describes who we thank:

• We thank the Father who has qualified us and rescued us
  (It is not us who have qualified!)
• We thank the beloved Son in whom we have redemption and forgiveness. You can feel Paul echoing John 3:16 here...

Finally, Paul tells us what the Father and Jesus did for us:
- He rescued us from the dominion of darkness
- He brought us into the Kingdom of the Beloved Son

Read the passage below and notice:
- how God equips us
- what God did
- how He rescued us
- And how that all comes together in "joyfully giving thanks"

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.       (Colossians1:9-14)

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EmmDev 2019-07-23 [A Life of Thanksgiving] Saved and Called

Saved and Called

If I were ever to have an argument with the great Apostle Paul, it would be about a statement he makes in our passage for today...
Paul is full of thanks to the God who saved him and appointed him to His service. In his explanation of this, Paul calls himself "the worst of sinners."
I think many of us would argue that maybe we ourselves are worthy of this title!

But Paul doesn't dwell on his sin, he dwells on the Saviour:
Look at how He explains it:

• "He has given me strength" (in other words, I did not have enough!)
• "He considered me faithful" (Paul did not prove himself) God imputed (planted/drew out) faithfulness in Paul.
• "Even though was I a terrible person" (Blasphemer, Persecutor and Violent)
• "I was shown mercy" (The passive voice implies that Paul was a recipient - in spite of ignorance and unbelief - of mercy that he did not earn.)
• "Grace was poured out abundantly" (Along with faith and love.)

In the second part Paul is saying "You can bank on the fact that:

• Jesus saves sinners
• I'm a big sinner
• and so this proves that Jesus is patient
• and generous in giving eternal life
• to us if we believe"

If I really were to have that argument with Paul, I think he'd say: "It doesn't really matter who the bigger sinner is, what matters most is that God's forgiveness is even bigger than all our sins." The last verse in our reading is a doxology (an outpouring of praise and thanks).

Read our passage below and allow yourself to be caught up in the great joy of His forgiveness and love!
And give thanks!

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to His service. 13 Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14 The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. 16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.      (1Timothy1:12-17)

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EmmDev 2019-07-19 [A Life of Thanksgiving] You turned my wailing into dancing

You turned my wailing into dancing

Yesterday we reflected on the fact that God has rescued us. The Psalmist reflected on the times that God rescued people from trouble, but we also recognised the ultimate rescue that He performed through the Cross.

Today the Psalmist gives us another perspective:
Not only has God rescued us, but His love transforms us:
- Wailing becomes Dancing
- Sackcloth (mourning) becomes Joy
- Silence becomes Singing
And so we give thanks!

Not only does God forgive our sin and save us from death, but He also transforms our lives by filling us with His Spirit, giving us inexpressible joy, irrepressible hope and unconquerable love.

Paul puts it like this: If anyone is in Christ, they are a new Creation. (2Cor5:17)

Sadly, we can resist this transformation, and one of the best ways to resist this transformation is to lack gratitude - to fail to be thankful - to be empty of thanks.

The psalmist recognises the change that God has brought to his life and cements this transformation with the decision to give thanks.
Your levels of thank-full-ness will aid or hinder God's transforming work in you...

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.      (Psalms30:11-12)

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