November 21, 2008

• Happy Thanksgiving!

  Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! 
  For His mercy endures forever. 
  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, 
  Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy, 
  And gathered out of the lands, 
  From the east and from the west, 
  From the north and from the south. 
  
  They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way; 
  They found no city to dwell in. 
  Hungry and thirsty, 
  Their soul fainted in them. 
  Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, 
  And He delivered them out of their distresses. 
  And He led them forth by the right way, 
  That they might go to a city for a dwelling place. 
  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, 
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 
  For He satisfies the longing soul, 
  And fills the hungry soul with goodness. 
  
  Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, 
  Bound in affliction and irons-- 
  Because they rebelled against the words of God, 
  And despised the counsel of the Most High, 
  Therefore He brought down their heart with labor; 
  They fell down, and there was none to help. 
  Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, 
  And He saved them out of their distresses. 
  He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, 
  And broke their chains in pieces. 
  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, 
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 
  For He has broken the gates of bronze, 
  And cut the bars of iron in two. 
  
  Fools, because of their transgression, 
  And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. 
  Their soul abhorred all manner of food, 
  And they drew near to the gates of death. 
  Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, 
  And He saved them out of their distresses. 
  He sent His word and healed them, 
  And delivered them from their destructions. 
  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, 
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 
  Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, 
  And declare His works with rejoicing. 
  
  Those who go down to the sea in ships, 
  Who do business on great waters, 
  They see the works of the LORD, 
  And His wonders in the deep. 
  For He commands and raises the stormy wind, 
  Which lifts up the waves of the sea. 
  They mount up to the heavens, 
  They go down again to the depths; 
  Their soul melts because of trouble. 
  They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, 
  And are at their wits' end. 
  Then they cry out to the LORD in their trouble, 
  And He brings them out of their distresses. 
  He calms the storm, 
  So that its waves are still. 
  Then they are glad because they are quiet; 
  So He guides them to their desired haven. 
  Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, 
  And for His wonderful works to the children of men! 
  Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people, 
  And praise Him in the company of the elders. 
  
  He turns rivers into a wilderness, 
  And the watersprings into dry ground; 
  A fruitful land into barrenness, 
  For the wickedness of those who dwell in it. 
  He turns a wilderness into pools of water, 
  And dry land into watersprings. 
  There He makes the hungry dwell, 
  That they may establish a city for a dwelling place, 
  And sow fields and plant vineyards, 
  That they may yield a fruitful harvest. 
  He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly; 
  And He does not let their cattle decrease. 
  
  When they are diminished and brought low 
  Through oppression, affliction and sorrow, 
  He pours contempt on princes, 
  And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way; 
  Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction, 
  And makes their families like a flock. 
  The righteous see it and rejoice, 
  And all iniquity stops its mouth.
  Psalm 107 (NKJV)
  

  When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion, 
  We were like those who dream. 
  Then our mouth was filled with laughter, 
  And our tongue with singing. 
  Then they said among the nations, 
  "The LORD has done great things for them." 
  The LORD has done great things for us, 
  And we are glad. 
  
  Bring back our captivity, O LORD, 
  As the streams in the South. 
  
  Those who sow in tears 
  Shall reap in joy. 
  He who continually goes forth weeping, 
  Bearing seed for sowing, 
  Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, 
  Bringing his sheaves with him.
  Psalm 126 (NKJV)
  

  I hope that everybody has a very Happy Thanksgiving in just 6 days.  Please read the above passages and marvel at the wondrous grace of God.  Respond as these Pslamists did!  Give Thanks to Him because He is worthy of all our adoration.  Give thanks to God for He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.  Give thanks to God for He has freed us from the curse and enslavement of sin.  Give thanks to God for He has provided for His people.  Since He has provided for His people, we must or ought to sacrifice to God our lives.  We must declare to all those who we come in contact us the Greatness of God and His Wonders.  Give thanks to Him for He has brought us into the Family of God.  He has joined us together with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  Let us worship Him together in community; knowing all that He has done for us.  Give thanks to Him because He has turned our sorrow into joy and our mourning into rejoicing.  Praise Him because He has pity on the lowly of heart and mercy to those who walk uprightly with Him.  Let us say with the Psalmist that "The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad."  Happy Thanksgiving. 

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