+DEV Thanksgiving in Worship

Date: November 27, 2011 9:02 PM
Topic: +DEV Thanksgiving in Worship

Thanksgiving in Worship

"Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." (PSALM 103:2)
Scripture Focus: Psalm 103

Giving thanks is a pretty common element of our everyday experience. We thank our spouse for doing the dishes. We thank the check-out person at the supermarket for his or her work. We thank our coworkers for doing their part to get the job done.

If thanksgiving is such a natural part of our earthly experience, how much more ought it characterize our relationship with our Creator and Redeemer? Interestingly, when Paul wants to sum up the posture of the unbelieving heart towards God, he doesn't single out sins like murder or adultery; rather, he points to a lack of thanksgiving (Romans 1:21). Ingratitude can either manifest itself as a sense of self-satisfaction, believing that all one has is a result of human effort, or an intense bitterness that is never satisfied. But when God applies the work of Christ to us, the Holy Spirit moves our heart's ingratitude to overflowing thanksgiving. This new heart recognizes God as the giver of all good gifts: both the good things we enjoy in this life, and especially the eternal gifts Christ has won for us.

Insight: Do You Give Thanks In Your Prayers And Worship? If Your Worship Is Faltering, Listen To The Psalmist And "Forget Not All His Benefits"!