November 24, 2005

 

Bless the Lord, O my soul;

And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

                                                --Psalm 103:1-5

 

The first Thanksgiving didn’t occur in 1621 when a group of Pilgrims shared a feast with a group of friendly Native Americans, the Wampanoag. If you want to get technical, the first recorded thanksgiving took place in Virginia more than 11 years earlier, and it wasn’t a feast. The winter of 1610 at Jamestown had significantly reduced a group of 409 settlers to only 60.

 

The survivors prayed for help, without knowing when or how it might come. And when help finally arrived, it came in the form of a ship filled with food and supplies from England. As a result, a prayer meeting was held to give thanks to God for His blessings, provision, and protection of their lives.

 

Thanksgiving shouldn’t occur only once a year on the calendar; it is to take place every day of the year. The psalmists provided us with a great amount of literature on giving thanks and praise to God. No matter what is going on in your life right now — good or bad — I pray that you will reflect the same attitude of gratitude that the psalmists did in their worship.

 

The fact that the Lord “forgives all your iniquities…heals all your diseases…redeems your life from destruction…crowns you with loving kindness and tender mercies…[and] satisfies your mouth with good things” is more than enough reasons to give thanks. Read through the Psalms, spend time today in prayer, give praise to the Lord in song, and thank Him for His wonderful blessings and “benefits” in your life.

 

THANK GOD FOR BEING YOUR CREATOR, SAVIOR, AND LOVING SHEPHERD WHO CARES FOR YOU IN BOTH THE GOOD AND BAD TIMES.