Psalm 30 is a very timely writing as we approach this Thanksgiving season. This chapter is all about being grateful. The writer has be in a mess, been wrestling with foes and struggling with life. God has reached down and rescued him. “I yelled for help and you put me together….you pulled me out of the grave…..gave me another chance at life”. God is in the business of helping us deal with our struggles. He is in the business of getting down in the trenches and getting dirty as He helps us overcome the challenges of life. It doesn’t always happen on our timeline or in our way. Don’t get the impression here that God is just sitting there waiting for our beckon call so we can direct Him like a puppet. That is not how it works. But when we cry out to Him, He hears and if we are living and walking with Him, He responds. The psalmist says it this way: “across a lifetime there is only love”. Sometimes that love is tough and is necessary to allow us to grow and build character. Sometimes that love is an immediate action to remove us from our situation. But God always acts in love and in our best interest. Only He can see the big picture. Only He can see all the factors and facets of our life from a viewpoint we will never have.
But the key learning here is how the writer begins the chapter: “I give you all the credit, God”. Does that describe you? Do you give God credit for everything that happens in your life? Do you realize and recognize that ALL of it happens because of Him? Often that is not the case for us. We fall into the trap that life actually happens because of what we do and what we say. Not true folks. It all happens because of God. Once we get that figured out we need to ponder our response. The writer tells us what we should do: “Sing your hearts out….thank Him to His face”. Do you spend time thanking God for what He has done regularly? Do you approach His throne with gratitude every day? How about singing praise to Him, not only on Sunday morning but as you go through the week. I find myself bursting into song regularly when I am in the office or on the farm. I am sure people that work for me think I am weird – well they actually know I am – but some days I just can’t help singing or whistling praise to the Father. He has blessed me so much and there is so much to be grateful for. Like the psalmist concludes “I can’t keep quiet about You. God, my God, I can’t thank you enough”. Does that describe your heart toward God? Are you overwhelmed by His goodness and love? If not, you need to open your eyes and see all that He has done and continues to do. There is much to be thankful for. It begins with the very gift of life itself and extends into every other part of life around us. Stop right now and thank God for the gift of life and all that He has done for you. You will never be able to thank Him enough!
