Reasons to Give Thanks
Opening Prayer
Lord God, I lift to You my thanks and praise today. You are my God and I worship You.
Read PSALM 105:1-38
[1] Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. [2] Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. [3] Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. [4] Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. [5] Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, [6] you his servants, the descendants of Abraham, his chosen ones, the children of Jacob. [7] He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. [8] He remembers his covenant forever, the promise he made, for a thousand generations, [9] the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac. [10] He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant: [11] “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.” [12] When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it, [13] they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another. [14] He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings: [15] “Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm.” [16] He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food; [17] and he sent a man before them- Joseph, sold as a slave. [18] They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons, [19] till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true. [20] The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free. [21] He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed, [22] to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom. [23] Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob resided as a foreigner in the land of Ham. [24] The LORD made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes, [25] whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants. [26] He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen. [27] They performed his signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham. [28] He sent darkness and made the land dark- for had they not rebelled against his words? [29] He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die. [30] Their land teemed with frogs, which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers. [31] He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country. [32] He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land; [33] he struck down their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country. [34] He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number; [35] they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil. [36] Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their manhood. [37] He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, and from among their tribes no one faltered. [38] Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them. Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Reflect
Whose history with God is recounted here?Notice right from the start that the psalmist has the whole world in view and not just the part of it known as Israel. The Lord is truly the God of the universe (1-4). It is good to lose ourselves occasionally in the greater story of God’s purposes for the whole world. Whenever our horizon is lowered and confined to our own problems (as sometimes it inevitably is), focusing upon the great acts of God can be a real tonic to our spirits. This psalm is very different from the next one, Psalm 106. There the focus is on Israel and the many sins they committed. Here the focus is on God and all the wonderful things he has done. See what the psalm says about God’s great deeds and the covenant to which he has committed himself (5-11), his careful provision for and protection of Israel (12-25) and deliverance in their time of need (26-38). His greatness, power, mercy and faithfulness run right through the whole psalm. It’s a story that glorifies God and repays countless retellings.
Apply
What of your own personal spiritual story? Can you recount it? Why not start telling it to others?
Closing prayer
Lord, I know how faithful You have been to me all my life. It’s a great story and I want to share it with others.
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