The passage I read was Psalm 107:1-9
You can find that passage here:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+107%3A1-9&version=NIV
My summary of the passage is this:
Verse 8 sums it up for me,
8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for
his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,
and his wonderful deeds for men,
My son summed it up like this:
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. He helps people north, south, east, and
west. He helps people that need water
and takes them to a place where they can get it. And He fills people with good
things.
As I reflect:
In reflecting, the first thing I noticed about the passage
was that in verse two it says, “let the redeemed of the Lord say this – “ and
then the psalmist continues in sharing thanks for God’s unfailing love by
saying how the Lord delivered his children from their distress and led them to
where they could settle. It talks about
His wonderful deeds for men by satisfying their thirst and hunger with good
things. What stood out to me here as
well as many other places in the word is that this was specific to a genre of
people. This was the thanks given by the
“redeemed”… The saved. A friend of mine
on facebook recently posted a reminder for the secular world to read the full
verse before quoting out of context. I
believe they have an excellent point.
The specific verse they were speaking on was all things work together
for the good….(for those who love God and are called according to his
purpose). It’s true, far too many times
the secular world would like to take the promises that are said only of the
saved, and say those promises of themselves.
But these are things that the unsaved don’t fully understand. Just as in this passage when thanks is given
for redemption. How can the lost fully
grasp what this means if they have yet to take hold of the saving grace of
Jesus’ blood on the cross? How can a
dying world thank God for being filled when they hunger and thirst when they
don’t understand the context. For He
fills us with good things because we hunger and thirst for Him. I think the secular artist of this age paint
a good picture of what I’m trying to say.
They stand on stage after writing songs that glorify pre-maritial sex,
drugs, lust, having other gods (ie. Money, material possessions), and following
after things in this world, and then they give “thanks” to God. I have to say that they don’t understand
redemption because they haven’t been redeemed.
When I thank God, it’s because I know what I have been saved from. I know that my every breath comes from
Him. I know that if there is anything
good in my life, it is because of Jesus.
His Holy Spirit has provided every good characteristic in me as a bi-product
of my experiences and seeking His wisdom.
I thank God because I know where I was and where I was headed. I thank God because when I seek Him and I
don’t give up, I find Him. He answers my
prayer. He leads me to feed on every
word that comes from his mouth.
My son said:
I think it means to thank God for his love and for all that
He has provided us.
My response to the Lord:
Dearest Father in Heaven, I know what you have saved me
from. You and you alone have pulled me
from the depths of hell and redeemed me among men. You chose me, and by your mercy you forgave
my sinful self. You lifted my head and
led me by your spirit daily working sanctification into my life. Lord, you covered me in your son’s righteous
blood… There is no sacrifice greater than that you sacrificed for me…. A sinner
who had turned his back on all that you were.
I am so thankful that you chased after me and didn’t let me go. I am thankful that you reached in and took my
heart of stone and melted it. Thank you
for removing what used to be me, and installing the upgrade that only you could
give. May I function well as a part of
your body, by the only means of showing my thankfulness to you – being a light
into the dark. In Jesus name.
My son said:
Dear Lord, thank you for loving us. Thank you for giving us the good that we
don’t deserve and please keep us from doing wrong and keep us clean.
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