“Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.”
Psalm 147:7
Not every nation and tribe has a day of thanksgiving, but it is more than a good idea to have one. It causes a man or a woman to take stock, to examine who and where they are in a bigger context than themselves. It can encourage a person to be thankful to God. These are good times to do such a thing, for the world remains in a precarious mess. Harshness and lawlessness abound. Disregard of others and advantages taken over the needy are all too common. A culture of arrogance is present with the strong and rich. Warring among peoples continues unabated.
I was thinking about these things today as the bustle had already begun in preparation to serve and love people when they gather at this little ministry where we currently stay. What should my attitude be? Can I suggest a couple things? Let us reason together with some pictures in view.
Be thankful for the heavens–those which God explicitly says He created (Genesis 1) but also states that they declare His glory (Psalm 19). You cannot miss them. Just look up at night, or even by day when the sun shines on your face. The sketch is the Orion Nebula, which is in the Orion Constellation that God, in His conversation with Job, mentions in particular to get his attention. Job had a little problem remembering that is God was great and greater than Job’s view of life. Looking up at the heavens might be the same kind of reminder for you, that God might be greater than your picture of things.
Be thankful for the earth like the example shown above, where I caught a glimpse of a little quiet lake in the fog. The thin sliver of life on this planet, which is utterly unique, is filled with moisture, forests, life, land, and water that is sustained and maintained by something a whole lot greater than a self-making evolutionary process. It is He who keeps it for us, perchance we reach out to Him. Be thankful and be careful with its treasures. They are not yours. They are God’s, who made them to keep you alive. He can use them in a variety of ways; some are not so pleasant. But His baseline intent was for the earth to be where we could live.
Do you know people? Do you appreciate them? This little group of staff in a Philippine resort took a little extra time for us to train. We had trained a larger group, but this smaller group from all walks of life (not trained teachers) were going to operate some astronomy equipment at a resort. We offered to help. So we loved them and worked with them. We have no idea what happened; we have not seen them since then. But the time was special. We had the opportunity to give out. Do you give out to the people you know? Or do you just take in? Little tiny small things mean much to people in need of encouragement and healing. Sometimes the nastiest people on the outside are devoid of what they need most: someone to look them in the eye without partiality and say, “God loves you and can forgive you for your sin.” Then embrace them. Have you ever done that? Sometimes they look just fine, but things are very wrong inside. They might need something you give them. Is thanksgiving really just about family and siblings?
Do have a close friend? My closest friend is my wife, as you can see. She has been flirting with high stage cancer and death for a long time. It makes us thankful for a relationship. But a friend can be a neighbor, a vendor you have worked with for years, or just a person you see on occasion. Are those relationships taken for granted? They might not be there tomorrow. Or you might not be there tomorrow. Be thankful, and speak that with your lips to the one you think of when you read this.
Last, we come to the Big Guy. We have the heavens, the earth, people, and perhaps just one or two friends. Is that enough to draw thankfulness from the heart? This picture reminds me of God. I picture Him as blazing light. The cloud in front of the sun and the moisture in the sky made me able to see these crepuscular rays. If the cloud was not there, I would be blinded if I looked at the sun. If you catch a glance of God in reality, it would bring you to your knees crying “mercy” very quickly. It is not because He hates mankind, it’s just that He is rightousness all together. He does hate sin, however, and we have plenty of it.
So, last, be thankful and humbly ask for mercy. It seems crazy that mankind does not do this, but we don’t very much. We pretty much want our own way. Consider this little verse in Psalm 143 (verse 1): “O Lord, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.”
Folks, for those who can receive it, let this be your request, and let it be with thanksgiving. Maybe you can even consider, as the Psalm 147:7 suggests, singing a little song of thanksgiving, or playing an instrument to Him, or saying a few words…directly to Him who gives you your next breath. You see, it is wonderful to have heavens, earth, people, and friends in mind at thanksgiving in this little country, but it is better for the heart to reach to Him. That is thanksgiving that puts everything else in perspective.
Thank you for this very encouraging message, Mr. Beard!