In Colossians 3, Paul calls all who “have been raised with Christ” who “have died” and whose lives are “hidden with Christ in God” to this:
“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17)
Three times in three verses we’re exhorted not just to give thanks but to be thankful people, whose hearts are filled with thankfulness. How thankful are you feeling these days? I don’t know about you, but 2020 has been threatening my thankfulness, and I think chances are high that it’s been threatening yours, too.
This past Sunday, Eric helped us, by means of Psalm 10, to lament the wickedness that is rampant in our world and that still lurks in our own hearts. These can tempt us to view God the way the wicked view him – as a blind or absentee God. A God who stands far away and hides himself in our times of trouble. A God who has forgotten us. A God who has hidden his face from us. A God who won’t right wrongs, who won’t show up when we need Him most.
These thoughts have the power to extinguish thankfulness like cold water on struggling embers. Enter Psalm 136. This Psalm is like lighter fluid. It puts a refrain on our lips to put on repeat (26 times, to be specific).
“His steadfast loves endures forever.”
And this Psalm doesn’t just tell us this is true, it shows us by way of reminder just how true this is. God has proven himself again and again in every generation, ours included. And we can trust that he will go one proving that his steadfast love endures forever.
Kenny Clark will be preaching this Sunday and Caleb Parker will be leading our sung worship. Would you pray for each as they prepare? And let’s ask the Lord to cause thankfulness to bubble up out of the dry ground of our hearts to the praise of his glory. We have so much to give Him thanks for!
Whether you’re seated in your living room or in the Grace parking lot this week, let’s come hungry and hopeful!
Song Link of the Week
Don’t You Want to Thank Someone for This? by Andrew Peterson