“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.”
1 Chronicles 16:34 NASB
Grace Perspective:
Give thanks…to give praise to the One who graciously pours out goodness, mercy, and grace in abundance. King David, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, wrote this Psalm to be sung as the Ark of the Covenant, a sacred container for the tablets of the Ten Commandments, was safely placed back into the Tabernacle, a portable sanctuary in Jerusalem. David had tried to return the Ark to its rightful place once before, but the day ended in disaster. (Read 1 Chronicles 15 for more of the story)
David was filled with thanksgiving as he gave God the glory for who He is: the God of all creation, the One whose lovingkindness will last forever—without end. Earlier in this Psalm, David reminds us to tell others of God’s goodness—all the ways God has blessed us—to share the good news of God’s grace with others. Filled with thanksgiving, David poured out praises for God, rejoicing in His steadfast eternal love.
A Touch of Grace:
How has God been good to you?
How will you thank Him today?
Grace Application:
Thanksgiving is a holiday that, in my humble opinion, is often overlooked as we begin to prepare for Christmas. Yet, I feel Thanksgiving is an opportunity to remember God’s goodness to us and share His goodness with others. As we look forward to Christmas, let’s pause and recall all the Lord has done for us in the past year.
Let’s prepare our hearts and minds by thanking God. Here are some practical ways to shift our thoughts from all we must do to what God has already done.
- We can start each day by thanking God for who He is – recalling His attributes.
- We can write down what God has done for us so when we begin to grumble about what we lack; we can look back at how He’s been good to us.
- We can actively praise God as we observe His creation.
- We can tell others of God’s grace and mercy.
As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s prepare our hearts and minds by recalling God’s goodness and steadfast, everlasting love. In this act of remembrance and gratitude, may the peace of God and His grace fill your hearts and minds, bringing you comfort and reassurance as you give Him thanks.
In His Grace – Dawn
Prayer:
Gracious Father, I come to you in the name of my Savior Christ Jesus, thankful for Your goodness, mercy, grace, and steadfast love. May I never cease to praise You – for You alone are worthy of all my praise. Your love never fails, and Your goodness and grace sustain me. Fill my heart and mind with thanksgiving, and give me words to share with others about how good You are. To You be the glory now and forever – Amen.
**Today, as you read this, I pray each of you will know you are in Christ Jesus. If you have any doubts, please seek God to erase your doubts. Today is a good day for the assurance of salvation in Christ Jesus. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at graceisdawning@gmail.com**