We have so much to be thankful for this week! For the past twelve days, Israel and Iran were at war. Many people have experienced firsthand the stress of the sirens alerting to incoming missiles at all hours of the day and night. But finally a ceasefire was reached and quiet is prevailing. People are breathing optimistic sighs of relief as a sense of normalcy is returning to their daily routines. Everyone is taking an assessment of how they’re managing and are formulating an outlook to move forward.
You may not have been directly affected by this war, but warfare is real on more than just the geographical fronts. There is spiritual warfare that directly impacts the lives of believers all over the world because we all have a common enemy whose only goal is to drag as many souls as possible down to destruction with him. But what he doesn’t realize is that thanksgiving is a powerful tool that not only opens our hearts to the unfathomable mercies of God but also repels and dispels his continual attempts to tear us down. So let us pause for a moment and take an inventory of just how many ways we have to thank the Lord for His mercy and intervention in our lives. Psalm 107:2 says,
“Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy…”
Have you been redeemed? What is this “so” that you should be saying? Psalm 107 is chock full of reasons that we can give thanks to God.
“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 107:1
The psalmist goes on to remind those who have been redeemed to remember from where the Lord has saved them. Here are a few excerpts from the psalm that are appropriate for even today’s current events:
“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses. And He led them forth by the right way…He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces…He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions…He calms the storm…then they are glad because they are quiet…He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly…Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
Has the Lord helped you through some trial lately? Has He led you in the right way? Has He healed you or delivered you? Has He calmed a storm in your life? Has He blessed and multiplied you? Oh, I wish there was someone who would give thanks to the Lord today! Stand up and testify about what the Lord has done for you! Tell us all about His goodness and mercy toward you.
Oh, may we all thank and praise the Lord today! If you have been redeemed and the Lord has delivered you and healed you and helped you, stand up and say so!!!