Thanks!

Thanks!

O give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Psalm 105:1 KJV

This is a season of angst and pain; so many things seem to be going wrong. A pandemic has been tearing through the entire world, bringing death and sorrow to so many lives. There is also sickness, as well as poverty and lack, and there are some people who would rather give in to suicide than press on. In the midst of all these, the call still goes out: give thanks to the Lord. First of all, it means that those who can obey this instruction are people who see beyond their present circumstances into who God really is and what he can do. The instruction will be hard to follow for those who have not yet experienced God in a personal way. It is not for those who still play both sides, with one leg in with God and the other with the world. It is for those who know that if God does not help them, then they are indeed lost. They are not willing to compromise, and they will not bend their will to suit the world's current or popular narrative. Can this be said of me? Am I one who is totally given to God, or can the world still find some bit of comfort in and around me? 

The call to give thanks stands for all of eternity. We do our bit down here, but it is an assignment that continues into eternity. We practice for the real thing down here and continue for all of eternity when we rest from our earthly labour. So, the call to give thanks to the Lord isn't really about making God feel like God, because nothing I do or do not do can change who God is. It is when I know who He is and I worship him in that understanding that the people around me know that my life has had a personal encounter of this Lord. How does the world know I know God if I am always silent? Does my conversation, conduct and companions show that I know this Lord, or do I have to always prove that I am a Christian? Does his life flow out of me at all, or do I have to break a leg to prove that I am God's child? If I truly call on God, the world will know the difference. If I do not, no amount of words will convince the world. 

I just think over the words at the start of the verse again and I see it as an instruction as well as advice. If I have reasons to be grateful, I will not have to be coerced or begged to give thanks. If I know that my life is a constant reminder of the grace and mercy of God, I will not have to be cajoled into giving thanks regularly. And there is the call upon the Lord, which is an active, not a passive verb. I can't call on someone without opening my mouth and using my voice. It can be silent or with quiet words but the one I call on must know that I am the one calling. Does God know and recognise my voice as one who calls on him regularly?

As I call on him, I am making him known to all who hear me. As I speak of his mighty power, I am pointing to the amazing power of this God. My words speak of my personal experience. My words point men's attention to the Lord of my life. Men may not know God by accident; it may involve my daily living and speaking, pointing men to the saving knowledge of Jesus, making him known to all who cross my path. I take advantage of every opportunity to make God known; I have become his ambassador, bringing his message of peace, grace and mercy to all. My life is the platform and altar from which all of God is made known, and he is exalted all over the earth. May my life be such that God can use in this way. His time of favour is here.