THANKSGIVING IN EVERYTHINGSpeaker: Sis. Stella Dhinakaran Gist: My dearly beloved, praise the Lord as soon as you get up early in the morning. Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing. Praise Him for all the good gifts and graces He has given you. I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.... please the LORD. (Psalm 69:30, 31; 50:23; Hebrews 13:15).
In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (I Thessalonians 5:18)
My dearly beloved, praise the Lord as soon as you get up early in the morning. The Bible says, "Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing." Praise God for all the good gifts and graces He has given you. The Bible says, "But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel." (Psalm 22:3). Thank God for the life companion He has given you and praise Him for the beautiful children He has blessed you with. Then surely the Lord will delight in you.
A certain member of the church choir, used to sing and loudly praise the name of the Lord with all his heart. His once wonderful voice had gradually grown rough with passage of time and often went out of the music notes like the playing of a damaged audio cassette. However, he continued to sing loudly and kept praising the Lord with a cheerful heart. The young members of the choir giggled whenever they found this man off-track. When the old chorister came to know that he was made fun off he thought, "It is indeed quite true that I am old now. Hereafter I should not occupy a special seat in the choir but I must go and sit along with the congregational members." From the following Sunday, according to his determined decision, he sat in the last bench along with the other members of the church and praised God loudly with all his might from there.
One day, at night, he saw a vision wherein God appeared to him. The Lord looked at him with great concern and loving asked, "Son, I cherished your voice whenever you sang from the seat in this church choir. However, the previous Sunday, I could not hear that lovely voice of yours from here. What happened?" The old man explained his predicament. The Lord responded saying, "I really love to hear you sing again from the same place. It is not the tone of your singing that matters but I am overjoyed to hear you praising Me from the bottom of your heart. Therefore, you continue to sing." From then on, unmindful of what others told and by turning a deaf ear to the criticism of the young choristers, he kept singing loudly the praises of God until he died.
Praise the Lord always and His name will be exalted. "Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God." (Psalm 50:23). When you do likewise God will surely bless you abundantly.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I praise You for You are the holy one who is enthroned in the praises of Israel. Help me to praise Your name with all my heart in everything that I do today. Grant me the grace to offer thanksgiving for everything that I receive from Your hands.
In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen |