It is too long to recite in full, but Psalm 33 is a great summary of thanksgiving to God. Allow me to encourage you to grab your Bible and read the whole thing. And join with me in giving thanks to God:
Praise is becoming to the upright.
2 Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
Celebration is a foundational expression of worship. Music has always been a key part of confessing our dependence on God, giving thanks to Him, and acknowledging Him as the Creator and King of all things.
Thanks be to God for the gift of music He has given Q50. I thoroughly enjoyed Josh grabbing his guitar yesterday and helping us worship as he sang “Praise You in this Storm.” Some our Q50 family are in some significant life-storms right now . . . And God is there with us.
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses.
We believe that God is the Creator of all things and therefore King and Redeemer. As Creator, He does not just watch from afar but is engaged in the daily rigor of life in His creation. And especially life-storms.
Thanks be to God for His Hand in creation, in our lives, and His love and grace that brings us into relationship with Him. Thanks be to God for His wisdom and guidance as we move forward as a community of faith.
8 Let all the earth fear the LORD;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
The pandemic is causing a lot of people to live in fear. The only thing we should really fear, though, is God Himself. And that isn’t the “oh-no-I’m-doomed” kind of fear. Rather, it is the overwhelming, gentle reverence for the Creator God who has done everything necessary so we can be reconciled to Him. We live in confidence because He is working all things according to the counsel of His will (Eph. 1:11).
Thanks be to God for the privilege of representing the King in His Kingdom. May many people come to faith and mature in their walk with God because God has worked in us and through us as a community of faith.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness.
Ultimately, it is not our creativity or clever techniques that will impact our community; it is the hand of God through the people of God. We can misplace our faith and assume God's work depends on us. The truth is that God works through us and often in spite of us.
Thanks be to God that we can serve the living God by serving one another. Our confidence is in His faithfulness and goodness not our ability to perform.
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.
Our walk with God and our service for God is an expression of faith in God. He alone is God. There is no other nor anyone like Him. He is compassionate, gracious, merciful, and loving. He is the source of all hope.
He is the God of pandemics, of life-storms, and of uncertain futures. He is the God who gives us courage because all things are subject to His authority. And we are His children, the objects of His infinite love. And our souls wait for the LORD.
Engage this week with enthusiasm. His lovingkindness is upon us!
