Thankful

“THANKFUL”

PSALM 103:1-5

Two men are walking in a field when a bull starts to chase them. “He is gaining, you better start praying!” “I cannot pray in public; I have never been much of a pray-er.” “You better start now because he is almost here.” All the fellow could remember was the prayer he recited as a boy, “For that which we about to receive, make us truly thankful.”

Truth is, that is about how shallow our prayer life can be and reflects how empty our giving of thanks often is. We get full of food and football, but this holiday is about being full of thanks. How will you express your thanks to the Father this week? SCRIPTURE

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name. (1). Bless meant to bend the knee. It is our reaction to God’s grace. We are to be full of blessing, full of thanks. What does it mean for you? I want to ask three questions about this Psalm and answer them.

WHO SHOULD BLESS THE LORD?

The Psalmist talks to himself. Your soul is the first audience to which you should speak. What you say to yourself determines what you are and do. When you say, Bless the Lord, O my soul, you know if your heart means what your words say you are doing.

The Psalmist directs himself to bless the Lord. David did not tell the angel to bless the Lord, or the works of Creation to bless the Lord, or other believers to bless the Lord, or the nation of Israel to bless the Lord. David spoke to himself.

He blesses the Lord because he has been blessed. You cannot bless the Lord until you know how and where God has blessed you. Consider the Lord and what He has done in your life.

When most people consider the blessings of God, they are usually horizontal: a life of ease, family, comfort, or food.

If I were to ask, “For what are you thankful?” Typical responses would be: family, freedom, finances. No IRS audits. The boss is retiring. The policeman’s radar was aimed the opposite way. Food! Texas Tech is 9-1! Those are all good, but do not miss the vertical.

Bless the LORD! Forget none of his benefits. Family and comfort are a part of His benefits, but have you considered His spiritual blessings? He forgives, not some, but all your iniquities. He redeems. It means to buy back. He bought back your life from the pit.

Jesus loved you so much, He died on the cross for you. "The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life." (Romans 6:23) Jesus paid a debt He did not owe. You owed a debt you could not pay. God redeemed you. Without God, we are all lost in sin.

"He crowned you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. As a result, we become heirs to the glory of God. Joint heirs with Jesus Christ!" (Romans 8:17) You and I are in the eternal family of God, basking in the glories and riches belonging to our Father.

He satisfies you. No longer do you need to lust for more of this world. He meets your deepest need. When we bless God, we are giving back to Him what He deserves: worship. Thanksgiving is an act of worship, acknowledging God is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

WHAT PART OF MY LIFE SHOULD BLESS THE LORD?

Bless the Lord O my soul, and all that is within me. Thankfulness is to become threaded into the fabric of your being. No cell of your body should be without it. Every ounce of your frame is to be an attitude of thankfulness. I must bless the Lord with every part of my being. All that is within me.

• May my LIPS bless the Lord. Let no evil thing cross my lips, but let me praise Him with my mouth.

• May my EYES bless the Lord. Let my eyes never look on evil, but always lifted up toward heaven. Always looking to Him in praise.

• May my FEELINGS bless the Lord. Let me not feel evil or rebellion, but may my emotions always express all my love, passion, goodness and depth of heart to God.

• May my MIND bless the Lord. Let me not think of wickedness or evil, but may I bless the Lord with all my memory, my reason, my logic my rationality, and my intellect

• May my VOLITIONAL NATURE bless the Lord. Let me never choose sin, nor decide against God. May I always choose to bless the Lord and to make Him first. May my will always be His will. May I always pray like Jesus: Not my will but thine be done.