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In fact it was in the midst of this terrible
personal loss that Reinkardht sat down and wrote this beautiful hymn of praise and thanksgiving.
“Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices.” It was his way of affirming that
God is a God of all circumstances and that the only way to continue to live a life of healing
and love is to live a life of praise to God.
The world’s message (with Satan’s help) is that the truest way to live is to look at
the negative in our circumstances. We are called to see the faults of others, the faults
of our government, and in general what is wrong in life far more often than what is right
in life. We center more on the things to be anxious about, or fearful about, or angry
about and miss all that God has done for us. We immerse ourselves in self pity and miss
the greatness of God’s overwhelming love and provision.
Yet, as we read God’s word, God’s message centers on the need for God’s people to look
for reasons to be thankful. The Psalms are filled with praise and thanksgiving. Praise and
thanksgiving open up an avenue for us to commune with God in depth and personal revelation.
Jesus’ prayers, as recorded in the Gospels, were often prayers that were thankful. Paul in
the New Testament writings continually admonished early Christian believers to “rejoice”; be
thankful; be grateful.
How is your thankfulness these days? Is your heart able to stop, as Paul does, and to
“be thankful in all circumstances”? Do you make this a habit or are your eyes continually
seeing the negative and the fearful?
Pamela Curry, writing in Christian Women, shares a moment with her 6-year-old daughter,
Julie, as they prepare to bed. It had been a tough day for her daughter who was breaking out
in chicken pox. Pamela herself had the flu and her husband was out of town. As she tucked
Julie into bed, she said, “Mommy, I can’t think of anything to thank God for today. It was
a horrible day.” But as Pamela and daughter thought for a while finally her daughter said,
“I know. We can thank Him that the day is over.” So they did this together, “Thank you,
Lord, for the gift of life. No matter how difficult it is, we take comfort in knowing you
are there to help us make it through horrible days”.
Let’s make it one of our Christian “disciplines” to be joyful and to be thankful in all
circumstances. May God help you
Pastor Dennis Bailey
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