O GIVE thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! Psalm 107:1 AMPC
Context and Charge:
It is amazing how often the call comes to us, asking us to praise God. I note that this call mostly comes at a time of great tribulation, trouble and trials. I must also add that we can also praise God when all is well, but I believe that God must have a secret about this reaction and response of thanks that he wants me to know and live by. Though the writer of this psalm is not specified, the most popular writer of psalms, David, knew and understood the power of this reaction. He was a man whose default setting was praise and thanksgiving to God. He must have learnt by personal experience and encounter the things that made God tick, and these things he would do on a regular basis. I must live by the same principles, practices and processes if I am to arrive at the same place where David got to: known as a man or woman after God's heart.
I note that the call to give thanks is for all of us, no matter the generation or dispensation. The verse directs us to give thanks, and gives us reasons why we should. It is important to note that this is the reaction God asks for; He knows the problems and challenges we face on a daily basis, and He knows the power of these issues to overwhelm us, yet He asks us to praise Him. That reaction of giving thanks is my invitation for him to step into the situation and turn things around. The verse above calls God good; it does not mean that 'bad' things will not be permitted to happen, but because the One who is in charge is good, only good can come out of his dealings and permissions over my life. No matter what the view of the world is, it does not change the nature of God and the things He does or allows. The key is in total surrender to the power and wisdom of this God.
Conviction and Conclusion:
This is the only way God can be made manifest in my life. I cannot hold on to my own views and still see God at work. He is eternal; nothing outlasts him, and nothing exists outside of Him. If I agree and also acknowledge that He is eternal, then I can surrender to whatever procedure or process He brings me through. I do not have to fight or struggle for relevance; the battle is not mine to sort out. Too many times, we think we have the hang of it all, and we know what is best for us, but if I can't play God, then I cannot be wiser than Him. Everything this earthly life births is temporary, no matter how tantalising or terrible. I trust the God who makes iron float on water to sort out both my earthly and the eternal. He can turn the mundane into the miraculous. God's time of favour is here.
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