Thankful, Day Ninety-Four

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

What would happen if we spent more time praising, and less time complaining? What if we praised God instead of worried about our circumstances or situation? How different would the world around us or we ourselves be if we continually offered to God the sacrifice of praise as the fruit of our lips instead of what usually comes out? What if we tried expending our energies telling God how good He is, instead of how bad things are?

I'm human, just like everyone else. I'm far from perfect, but thankfully forgiven. I'm a work in progress. Which means I don't always do what's right, even when it's my own advice. For many years, I've told people they should start their day by throwing the covers back, leaping out of bed, and dancing around the rug speaking in tongues until the glory falls. Then they can get dressed and start their day. Now ask me if I've ever done it. Alright, since you asked, I'll tell you. I have done it, and the days when I do it start out great and get better from there. Even when the darkness encroaches on me, the light shines brighter the darker things get. But I don't do it every day, even though I should.

I've been known to complain, criticize, gripe and second-guess God. I've been known to point out others faults and failures, put other people down, pick at their scars and scabs. I've been known to moan and groan over my own pitiful circumstances and feel sorry for myself and wish for everyone in the world to either like me or die. I've been known to wallow in my own muck and mire, apathetic and praying for a miracle that my own action would perform. I've been known to poopoo God when I should have been praising Him. But I'm working on it.

So here's some good advice I'm gonna try out on myself.

When things go your way, and everything is sunny, praise the Lord.

When things go awry, and the thunder rolls, praise the Lord.

When life is easy, and your up on the mountain, praise the Lord.

When things change, and your down in the valley, praise the Lord.

When you experience freedom and liberty, and have peace of mind like you've never known, praise the Lord.

When you're broke down, busted, and disgusted, enslaved, imprisoned, tortured and tormented, praise the Lord.

In sickness or in health, in poverty or in wealth, praise the Lord.

In success and triumph, in failure and defeat, praise the Lord.

In love and in hate, in acceptance and in rejection, in sorrow and in rejoicing, praise the Lord.

In tears and in laughter, praise the Lord.

In hurt and pain, in joy and comfort, praise the Lord.

We need to praise God anywhere and everywhere, for anything and everything, in good times and in bad! No matter what tomorrow brings, or what it has in store, I will praise the Lord!

Lord, I'm thankful today for the rough patches in life; they make me appreciate the smooth and gentle path all the more.

Lord, I'm thankful today for the dark and stormy days; they make me appreciate the sunshine all the more.

Lord, I'm thankful for bitterness that life sometimes pours into my cup; it makes me appreciate the sweet nectar that you offer all the more.

Thankful, Day Ninety-Three

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

I've said it before; I'll say it again. There are times when it is an easy thing to offer thanks to God, especially when everything is great and going my way. Then there are other times. What do we do then, when the sun isn't shining so bright? When the world is not as it should be? When it's storm clouds and rain instead of brightness and blessing? The Psalmist gives us the answer in the 150th Psalm--We praise God anyway.

Have you ever thanked God for the bad stuff that happens in life, the things you think of as negatives? I'm always reminded of Betsy ten Boom, Corrie's older sister who died in a concentration camp, who thanked God for the fleas. After all, it was the fleas that kept the German guards out of their dormitories and allowed them the freedom of leading people in worship to God. Then I'm also reminded of Job after he'd lost it all, who prayed, "Blessed be the name of the Lord!" And I think of Paul in prison, who said, "I've learned in whatever state I am in to be content." And I've never had it anywhere near as bad as those folks.

There's this one thing that happened to me a few years ago that I'm not sure I actually thanked God for. But I'm about to, because I realize if it hadn't happened, none of the good things happening now would have been possible. I couldn't see it as a blessing, even though the Lord kept telling me I'd be better off once it happened. I didn't believe Him; I argued with Him. I told Him what would really be better was if He would just do something about my bad circumstances. He did, of course. Only, when I wanted Him to fix them He just removed me from it. I'm sure the situation is still bad; but I do thank God I'm not in it.

And because something bad happened in my life, a whole world of good has come from it. I've been able to extend hospitality and ministry to others who had needs I could meet. My household and family have been increased exponentially and repeatedly. Because I had to stay put when I actually wanted to run away, I now have an awesome ministry among people who have been a great blessing in my life. And because of that particular ministry, I attended a particular conference and got on a certain elevator at just the right time. And my world has never been the same since.

You see, Joseph learned an important lesson too: What some meant for evil, God turned around for good! That is why I can enter the presence of God with thanksgiving, no matter what's happening to me. That's why I can praise Him in every circumstance and situation, because even when He hasn't done what I wanted Him to do, He is still God and worthy of all praise!

Thank you Lord for the difficult times that build patience, character and hope within me. I am growing, even though it's uncomfortable. I'm learning, and I'm glad for it.

Thank you Lord for the people you place in my life to knock off my rough edges. I may not like everybody, but I'm learning to love.

Thank you Lord for the promise of better things yet to come; I know your words are faithful and true, and sooner or later, everything is gonna be alright!

Thankful, Day Ninety-Two

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

What does a shepherd to for his sheep? I think David answers the question best in that well-known and best loved of all his songs, the 23rd Psalm.

The Lord provides for my every need, so that I want for nothing.

The Lord makes me lie down and rest from my labors.

The Lord leads me where I shall know peace and tranquility.

The Lord restores everything that is spent, lost, broken, or stolen in my life.

The Lord leads me in His path and shows me His ways.

The Lord is with me, even in the hardest an darkest times of life.

The Lord comforts and defends me.

The Lord blesses me abundantly while my enemies are forced to watch.

The Lord soothes and heals with His gentle touch and His precious anointing.

The Lord fills my life to overflowing with every good thing.

The Lord sees to it that goodness and mercy will be mine as long as I live.

The Lord has prepared a place for me in His presence forever.

I'm so glad I belong to God, that I am "His people" and "the sheep of His pasture."

Thank you Lord for your goodness in ministering to my heart, my soul and my mind. You have touched me and transformed my innermost being, changing me to be more like you. You have forgiven, forgotten, redeemed, healed and delivered. You encourage and strengthen through the indwelling presence of Your Holy Spirit. Thank you Lord for that!

Thank you Lord for your goodness in ministering to my body and its needs. You have provided daily bread. You have provided through your generous and limitless supply everything that I need for life and for living, and have seen to it that I have no lack. I may not be rich in houses or lands, but you have supplied all of my need according to your riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Thank you Lord for that!

Thank you Lord for your goodness in ministering to my desires through your great and precious promises, through your faithfulness to fulfill, finish and complete everything that you have started in my life. I am thankful for what has happened thus far, I rejoice in what is happening now, and I look forward with great anticipation to what is going to happen in my life because of you. Thank you Lord for that!

Thankful, Day Ninety-One

Make a joyful shout to the LORD all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

From before the foundation of the world, He knew me and called me by name. Before I was ever born, all my days were recorded in the books of heaven. When I was yet unformed, a cluster of cells in the womb of my mother, He was intimately acquainted with my form and substance. He fashioned me with His hand according to His will, plan and purpose, having predestined me through His omniscient foreknowledge and His omnipotent power to fulfill His good pleasure through my life.

Some, the Bible says, are made for honor, and some for dishonor. Some are made to demonstrate the limitless love of the Lord, and others His awesome power. Some are created for good works in Christ, some for the day of judgment. And God is sovereign in all of those things. So where does my choice lie? What say do I have in all these matters? And the truth is, I have the choice, and I have a say. I am not an automaton, a preprogrammed piece of flesh predestined to goodness or badness, heaven or hell. I still have self-determination. I can choose to honor God with my life, or dishonor Him. I can choose to be the object of His love, or the subject of His wrath. I can choose to do good works, or perform badly. And yet, God already knows which it's going to be.

Still, I am glad God has made me, and not me myself. I can only imagine what kind of proud and haughty tyrant I might be as a self-made man, responsible for my own exaltation to master of all I survey, or for my fall into the slum gutters of a sin-filled life. I am who I am, and what I am, by the grace of God. It is the grace of God that keeps me from being exalted above measure, and it is the grace of God that keeps me from falling from His sight. It is God's grace that has shaped and fashioned and formed me--and His magnificent amazing grace that continues to do so.

I'm thankful today that God made me, placed within my innermost being the ability to become everything that I can be in Christ Jesus.

I'm thankful today that God gave me the choice, that the options are clear, and that He continually sets before me life and death, and urges me to choose life.

I'm thankful today that God offers His grace to me, so that when I make a good choice, I can live in the blessed rewards of taking what is right. And so that when I make a poor choice, His grace is sufficient to see me through, or deliver me out, of my self-made trouble.

Thank you Lord, for Your awesome sovereignty and your grace.

Thankful, Day Ninety

Make a joyful shout to the LORD all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

and His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Do you ever have to remind yourself that you're not God? Or at the very least, that you're not God's chief, right-hand adviser and counselor? This morning in prayer, as I was petitioning God and making my requests known to Him, I caught myself telling--yes, telling--God what He needed to do. I actually said, "God , just _____________________." What I actually said is none of your business, but can you fill in the blank with anything you've ever told God to do.

And as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I was like, "Casey, who do you think you are? Where do you get off telling God what to do?" I immediately repented, of course. That's what you do when you step out of line. And I then took a moment to rephrase. Rather than telling God what He needed to do, I simply asked God to do what needed to be done. I didn't give Him specific instructions; I simply presented my need and asked Him to take care of it. And I'm sure He will, in His own time and in His own way. And then I started asking God for patience to wait for the answer.

To tell you the truth, I'm really glad I'm not God. I'd have wiped everybody out a long time ago, and THEN rested. And I'm usually glad God doesn't listen to me when I am presumptuous enough to tell Him what to do. Because I know that my ways are not His ways, and my thoughts aren't always the same as His. He sees the big picture, I see a tiny puzzle piece without the assistance of the box. He knows everything, and compared to Him I know next to nothing. And He can do immeasurably more than all I ask or think, and do it in an instant when I thought it would take eternity--if it could even be done.

I'm glad that He is God, that the LORD YHWH is God, and not some of these other fictions and figments and fables. When I read about the god or gods of other religions, who require so much and offer so little, who demand that I earn my own salvation with what I can give them, or that I pay for my own sins, I am so thankful that my God is the real God, the only God, the One True God. And that He is gracious and merciful, abounding in compassion, overflowing with love, longsuffering and always forgiving, and that He is mighty and able to save!

Thank you God for your patience with me, your longsuffering, even your compassionate and benevolent understanding. I'm only human, after all, made from the dust and going back to it. Lord please suffer a little longer with my ignorance and occasional stupidity, and help me to do what I'm supposed to do, rather than telling you what to do.

Thank you God for your love and goodwill, that you have my best interests at heart and that you are working all things out for my good. You work all things according to the counsel of your will; you can do everything, and none of your purposes are withheld from you. So please help me to get out of the way, stand back, and watch you do what you do best.

Thank you God for your plan and purpose for my life, which you continue to accomplish and fulfill as I continue to submit, surrender and rely upon you. You are my trust, my hope, my confidence. You have my faith Lord God, and I shall not be moved.

Thankful, Day Eighty-Nine

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

As a friend of mine likes to remind me, there is a song for everything. Often in conversation, I have been known to sing a note or two with words that fit the repartee. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's meaningful. I'm sure sometimes it's just flat out annoying, which is probably when I think it's the funniest.

3000 years ago, someone started collecting songs, adding to them through the centuries until they arrived at the volume we call the Psalms, sometimes mistakenly called the Psalms of David. Of the 150 Psalms recorded in our Bible, only 75 were actually written by David. Nevertheless, someone saw in these Psalms a song for every situation in life, every circumstance, every spiritual experience, every emotional state. These songs take us through the ups, downs and arounds that we all go through, and give us the light of God and the hope of glory for every day of our lives.

I woke up this morning to a dream that has recurring elements. It was a dream about exercises in frustration and futility, a vision of me trying to get somewhere and accomplish something, and knowing how I ought to be able to get there, but finding myself blocked and befuddled at every turn. Nothing I did worked out right. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how fast I went, no matter who I enlisted to help me, I could not reach my goal. And then I woke up, and the Lord spoke very gently to me, and I began to pray.

And then there was a song. And as I began to sing my song, the presence of the Lord seemed to fill my being. I could truly feel Him with me as I intoned His praises and harmonized my faith in Him. And I'm pretty certain He enjoyed my singing much more than any whining or complaining I could have done. So I think it's good that we approach God with a mouth of praise and a heart of worship. It just sets the tone for everything else He is going to do, and while I'm not certain that the song makes a difference with God, I know it makes a difference in me.

I'm thankful today for the beautiful Colorado sky, the mountains and the wind in the pines. This spring weather is unpredictably awesome, and I'm beginning to find some much needed rest in the Lord. I'm really glad I came.

I'm thankful today for the fellowship I share with the people I love, whether it be in person or on the phone. When people are of one mind, one heart, and one precious faith, there is no end to the good times they can share, and I'm taking all the shared times I can get.

I'm thankful today for the provision of the Lord, who has demonstrated in several ways today just how well He knows my need and how much He cares about meeting it.

Thank you Lord for you blessings on me!

Thankful, Day Eighty-Eight

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD, He is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Do we really know and understand what it means to be a servant, to serve a master, to serve in obedience and compliance to one person's will and demand? In our 21st Century American culture, I think we have very little concept of true service. We have jobs; we work for wages. And if we don't like the work, or we don't like the wages, we quit and go find something else to do. Or we do nothing at all because we can't find something that we like or enjoy or that suits us. We change careers all the time, switch jobs, make moves. But do we really understand serving someone else?

Working for someone is a whole lot different than serving someone. Have you ever thought about that? In a public business, there are bosses and employees. But in private homes, there are servants. Butlers, cooks, nannies, maids, valets, secretaries, gardeners, chauffeurs--I'm not rich, I'm just guessing according to what I've read or seen on TV. Now, it is generally true in this country that those people who work in those roles do so of their own free-will, for fair wages, and what they do is acceptable to them. If it means mopping floors, scrubbing toilets, ironing shirts, changing diapers, dusting tables, picking up dirty underwear, then those are the jobs they knew would be required of them, and that they would be paid according to what they agreed upon. I've never talked to anyone with a household staff, but I wonder if they really complain about how hard it is to find "good help".

And then I wonder if God ever has the same thoughts about us. Does He ever muse within the Trinity, I wish we could just get some good Christians working for us down there. We could really do something if we got good help. Do you think the angels ever complain about us? God, why do you put up with that lazy, careless, uncommitted, wavering, backsliding, stupid bunch of creatures?

You see, we are in the service of the Lord whether we realize that or not. When He saved us, He made us His own. He paid a high price for our redemption, and now we are not our own. We have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. He gave all the riches of heaven that we might share in an inheritance that is not ours by birthright, but rather ours by His choosing. He wanted to bless us with everything He had to give. In return, He just asks that we serve Him.

So how are we doing? Are we willing to do anything He asks, go anywhere He sends, say anything He instructs? Are we willing to wash the dirty feet of others and minister to their needs? Are we willing to love and forgive, even when we are unloved and hated? Are we willing to lay everything down and follow the leading of the Lord, even if it means leaving everything behind? Are we willing to serve the Lord? And are we willing to do it with gladness?

I'm asking all these questions, but I'm also the one who will provide my answer.

And the answer is: I hope so.

I'm thankful Lord for the call into your service. You could have chosen anybody else; maybe you could have called someone better than me. But I'm glad it was me! I'm happy to be in your service, and not in the service of a cruel and hateful taskmaster who is only interested in what he can get for how little he gives back. You, on the other hand, have given me everything you have. So it's only reasonable that I serve you with all that I have.

I'm thankful Lord for the opportunity to be in your service. You have opened doors and set before me straight paths to follow. You have led me to people in need and let me minister to them on your behalf. And there is no greater joy, no greater gladness I have ever experienced than when I have touched someone with the same love with which you have touched me.

I'm thankful Lord for the rewards of being in your service. I know some people are looking for payment now, but I've read the promises in your Word, and I know that whatever I get down here, from you or from anybody else for services I have rendered, are nothing compared to the treasures awaiting me in eternity. All I have to do is be faithful to you.

And that is what I intend to do.

Thankful, Day Eighty-Seven

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

I was driving down the road the other day, listening to some music that apparently does me some good but that the modern church has deemed antiquated and left behind. With the music blaring through my little truck and me singing at the top of my lungs, I got this feeling all over me. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, I wanted to have a little shoutdown. I tried just shouting HALLELUJAH in the car, but that's not a shoutdown. Honestly, I wanted to pull the truck onto the shoulder the highway, get out and start a Jericho march around it!

What's a Jericho march? I'm so glad you asked! When I was a little boy, we attended this little Assembly of God in a little town in Northwest Texas. I don't actually remember this, but I've heard the story so many times, it was like I was there. Granny Harris came into church on two canes, with a man on either side of her, helping her walk. She came up the porch, into the church, down the aisle, and sat behind my newly-saved parents. She had the long dress and a tight white bun, the very picture of the typical Old-Time Pentecostal mother. And when the Holy Ghost hit her, she leaped to her feet with both canes in the air, eyes blazing, whooping and hollerin', and as she danced into the aisle she shouted, "Jericho March!" And away they went. And by they I mean practically everybody, with Granny Harris leading the parade. They threw their hands in the air, dancing and shouting and marching around the inside walls of the church, and that's a Jericho March.

So there I was in my truck, wishing I could have one, and wondering why I didn't. I don't care what people think about me, so it wasn't embarrassment. I'm not ashamed of being happy for Jesus. I'm not even reserved in my personality. But I didn't pull the truck over. Instead I started tapping my feet and jumping up and down in the cab of the truck while I played that song over and over and over again. It was okay...but I gotta tell you, next time I think I'll pull over. And if I end up falling in the ditch under the power of the Holy Ghost, shouting and speaking in tongues, I guess that's okay. Someone might stop to see if I'm okay, but that's life.

We need to get our shout back. We need to get it in our mouths, but it needs to be in our hearts. We serve a great and mighty God, who is infinitely good and wonderful and marvelous and glorious. He has saved us, filled us with His Spirit, called us by name, redeemed our lives from destruction, filled our mouths with every good thing. He gives good and perfect gifts, enriching us with every spiritual blessing, doing immeasurably more than all we ask or think. He is worthy of our praise, and when we get ahold of that deep down inside, there is nothing it can do but come out!

So let's shout!

I'm thankful today that I have Jesus in my life. I do know what I'd be without Him, and I'm glad I've never had to be. Things are tough enough with an immortal all-powerful indestructible big brother on my side. I'm glad I don't have to try this without him.

I'm thankful today that I can feel His presence, even sitting right here at this table in Starbucks. He is with me wherever I go, which isn't always the most comfortable thought. But it is comforting to know that He doesn't leave me, nor does he forsake me, and that He can make His presence felt and known wherever I go.

I'm thankful today that He speaks, and if I'm listening I can hear what He's saying, telling me what to do, giving me instruction and wisdom and counsel and help. I'm so glad I can hear His voice, because I really really really need His input.

Thank you Lord, for letting me have you, and for having me.

Thankful, Day Eighty-Six

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

What does this Psalm say about God?

First, that He is the LORD--which is the English translation of God's covenant-keeping name to the Hebrews. He is the one who is, I AM THAT I AM, everything we need Him to be whenever we need Him to be it.

Secondly, He is God. He is the highest of the high, the supreme of the supremes, greatest of the great. He is the one who is Almighty, most holy, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. And He is the one in control of all things.

He is our shepherd, who takes care of us and every possible way. He is provider, defender, protector, and guide.

He is good, He is merciful, and He is truth.

Thank you God, that you are all that I need, and everything I need you to be.

Thank you God, that you are in control, and that you are working all things according to your will.

Thank you God that you are taking care of me in every possible way.

Thankful, Day Eighty-Five

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

and into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

How many times have I said it? It's easy to be thankful and praise the Lord when everything is great and going my way. When I'm living on the mountain underneath the cloudless sky, when I'm drinking from the fountain that never shall run dry, when I'm feasting on the manna from a bountiful supply, that's when it's easy to throw my hands up and shout and dance about. In fact, just about anybody can do that. But what happens when the storms cloud out the sunshine, when the well dries up, when the manna ceases? What happens when you're down in the valley, in the cold and dark of night, with killers and thieves hiding in the shadows to steal, kill and destroy? What happens when you suffer grief and trial? What happens when you go through trials and tribulation? What happens when the laughter has faded and you're feasting on tears and sorrow and suffering and pain? Can we still praise God then? Moreover, can we still be thankful?

When Job's world came crashing down around him, he fell to the ground and worshiped the Lord saying, "The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

When David had lost it all and his closest friends wanted to kill him, he encouraged himself in the Lord.

When Jehoshaphat's enemies came against Jerusalem, he led the choir in a song of praise.

When Jesus begged for escape, he still prayed, "Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done."

When Paul and Silas were in prison, beaten and bound and lying in their own blood and filth with the rats and the roaches crawling all over them, still they praised the Lord.

And what happened? Job got it all back, twice over, and continued to praise the Lord. David pursued, overtook, and recovered all. Jehoshaphat's song sounded like the marching of a might army and put his enemies to confusion and flight. Jesus submission resulted in the greatest triumph of all and the salvation of mankind. Paul's shackles fell off, the prison doors fell from their hinges, and a jailer and his whole household were saved.

We must remember to keep shouting our joyful thanks to the Lord, in good times and in bad, in hard times and in easy, in blessed times and in difficult, when everything goes our way, and when nothing does. We must remember to keep shouting our joyful thanks to the Lord in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth, when everyone is with us, and when all have forsaken us. We must remember to keep shouting our joyful thanks to the Lord when the night is dark, when the storm is fierce, when the battle is long, and we are almost overwhelmed. That's when we fix our eyes upon Jesus, and having done everything to stand, stand therefore.

I shout my thanks and praise to God tonight because He has saved me and called me for His own purpose, and He will see me through to the intended end.

I shout my thanks and praise to God tonight because He has always done me right and good, and He will continue to do so.

I shout my thanks and praise to God tonight because He has promised good to me, and His word has secured my hope. What He has promised, that will He also do, even when it doesn't look like He will.

So thank you, Lord. I know it's not as bad as it looks; in fact, I know it's a whole lot better. But I'm going to thank you, no matter what. For you deserve the glory and the honor and the praise for all that you've done, and simply for who you are!

Thankful, Day Eighty-Four

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with thanksgiving.

Know that the LORD, He is God.

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves.

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

If I had blogged every day, my 100 days would be over. Not that I want it to be, I'm just saying, in the process of this exercise in thanks, I've missed a few day posting something. It has become such a part of my everyday life that everywhere I go people are asking me, "Are you still thankful?" Some even miss the daily blog and say, "Hey, how come you haven't blogged today? Or yesterday? Or even the day before?" The truth is, if I don't sit down and do it first thing in my day, I may not find the time later to do it. But that's true of so many other important things in our lives. If we don't find the time early in our day to pray, or worship the Lord, or read our Bible, or give thanks...we might not find the time later.

I have not blogged every day for 100 days; nevertheless, I have found myself giving thanks every day, sometimes multiple times a day. I may not always right it down, but I have discovered a new attitude toward God, toward life, toward prayer. Giving thanks daily like this has given me a different perspective; it has truly changed some things in me. It has repaired my faith, restored my hope, and refilled my life with love toward God that I didn't know I was lacking. It has made me aware of the riches that God has given me, the good things He has filled my life with. And for this reason, I give thanks.

I'm thankful today for the breath in my nostrils, even though those nostrils are clogged with springtime. I've never had springtime allergies before, and that's not what I'm calling them now. But I am so thankful that I woke up this morning, able to get out of bed, able to move and walk and talk and hear and see and touch and taste and feel and smell...and breathe.

I'm thankful today for the house I call home, and the family God keeps filling it with. Through the years, I've had lots of people stay with me, some longer than others. I've often wondered why--the real reason why--I bought this house, why the Lord wouldn't let me sell it when I could have, and why it hasn't sold yet. I can't help but think it was because He knew there were going to be people who needed to stay in one of my four bedrooms. I have a family again...as one of them said the other day: the pastor, the Persian, the produce clerk, the post-partum woman, and the poopy-diapered baby (all P's, notice). There's only one thing that would make my family more complete, but thank God He's promised good to me!

I'm thankful today for belonging to God, for being His adopted son, His chosen servant, His growing saint. I'm thankful that He saved me and put His Spirit in me, that He called my name and gave me a new one! And He never lets go; He never gives up; He never forsakes nor forgets, and He always forgives. He is love and mercy and grace and truth. His power is at work in me, perfecting, changing, helping, transforming. And I just feel like something good is about to happen...

Thank you Lord, for your blessings...and your promises.

Thankful, Day Eighty-Three

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

One thing I know for sure: God is good. He is infinitely good. He is immeasurably good. He is always good. Everything He does is good; everything He says is good. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him, and He knows how to give good gifts to His children. His love is good, His power is good, His mercy is good, His promises are good. And if you don't know that, or don't believe that, then taste and see that the Lord is good! Let down your guard, soften your heart, give Him a chance...and He will definitely prove to you that He is very good.

When He created the world, He declared it good. When He created mankind, He declared that it was very good...with only one thing missing, which He quickly remedied. Therefore the Bible says, "He who finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favor from the Lord." The disobedience of Adam and Eve was not good, but God continued to be good to them. Even as humanity spun out of control in sin, He remained good, for He cannot does not change. And He always stood with arms open wide for people to come to Him and experience His goodness.

And I'll never forget the words of this verse of an old familiar song, a verse that is not often included in hymnbooks but which has been resurrected by a current popular song writer: "The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be as long as life endures." It's one of John Newton's original verse to Amazing Grace.

I need His grace every morning, and I have it every morning because the Lord is always good, evening, noon, and every morning!

I'm thankful today for new friends, one of which I made yesterday. I look forward to future fellowship and getting better acquainted on the basis of our common love for Jesus Christ.

I'm thankful today for old friends, like the ones who called yesterday who said, "We're driving two hours one way (after driving 500 miles this way) just to see you." What a happy reunion that was, and time of remembrance and renewal.

I'm thankful today for best friends. I suppose it is rare enough to find one you can take into your life; I've been blessed with so many wonderful friends, some closer than others. And as years pass, relationships change. But I'm thankful for those few, and even that one very special friend who draws a little closer every day.

If a man's wealth is measured by his friends, I am a rich man indeed.

Thankful, Day Eighty-Two

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Covenant is a concept lost on our Western culture, but in the ancient Middle East, it was a common practice of powerful significance. When two men encountered each other and found friendship, it often led to covenant. The two would sit down together and write up an agreement, a treaty if you will, concerning the responsibilities of this relationship that was more than simple friendship. They would sacrifice an animal (or animals), divide the carcasses, and then walk around each other in a figure-eight through the blood. They would exchange coats to signify the sharing of all things; what's mine is yours, and what's yours is min. They would trade swords in a mutual defense pact; as I heard one preacher put it, it basically said, "If someone stabs you in the back, you won't have to turn around to see if it's me." They took each others belts to indicate strength and help offered to the other in times of need. Finally, they would put a knife blade to their own palms, bind their hands together in a commingling of blood, and take each other's names as part of their own. They followed that with a shared feast, and covenant was done. It was the gravest of sins against your new partner to break covenant.

This what God did with Abram in the Bible. Only when God set it up, he understood the weaknesses inherent in humanity. He knew full well that Abram could offer Him nothing that He needed, and in all likelihood would at times fail in holding up his end of the bargain. So God did something unique; He decided that He Himself would uphold both ends of the covenant. It wouldn't be dependent on what Abram could say or do or give; it would all have to do with the faithfulness of God. So he thumped Abram in the head to keep him out of the blood, and while Abram slept, God appeared as a smoking furnace and a burning torch, passed both ways between the sacrifices, and uttered His name--the covenant name of YHWH--as the highest oath He could take. Then He changed the names of Abram and his wife Sarai. Some have pointed out that the Bible calls Him YHWH or Lord up to this point in Genesis, but He gave one H to make Abraham, one H to make Sarah, and afterward was known as the God of Abraham (and later Isaac and Jacob, because the covenant extended to them and their descendants forever).

To this day, God has never let down His end of the covenant with Abraham and Abraham's children. There is still an Israeli people, in spite of being persecuted, enslaved, scattered, and without a homeland for 2000 years. And they still follow the covenants of God made with their ancestors; they still practice covenant with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They still follow the Law of Moses, another covenant God made with their people. And they still expect God to honor His covenant, which He always has. And He always will.

But God has also made a new covenant that is not exclusive to the physical descendants of Abraham. He has extended it to include the spiritual descendants of Abraham, those who would live their lives in faith toward God as Abraham did. Like Abraham, when we believe God, it is accounted to us for righteousness. And the covenant was sealed through the death of Jesus Christ, who became our personal covenant keeper just as God became Abraham's. Christ has given us His name, His provision, His protection, His power...everything we need is provided in covenant with Him.

I'm thankful to be in covenant with Christ today.

I'm thankful for His provision, His protection, His power that is at work within me doing immeasurably more than all I ask or think.

I'm thankful for the Name that is above every name, the Name by which I have been saved, and the Name upon which I can call anytime I want and know that He will answer me, and that I will in no way be put to shame.

I'm thankful for a covenant-keeping God, who is always faithful, always merciful, and always good. Even when I am faithless, He remains faithful to me, for He cannot deny Himself.

Thank you God, for Your covenant with me.

Thankful, Day Eighty-One

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

YHWH. Yahweh. Jehovah. Adonai. Elohim. El Shaddai. El Elyon. The LORD my God. Provider. Healer. Deliverer. Shelter. Comforter. Strong Tower. Almighty. Most Holy. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace. King of kings. Lord of lords. King of righteousness. Creator. Redeemer. Sustainer. Friend. Shield and buckler. Strength. Counselor. Shepherd. Jesus.

Call Him whatever name you want to, as long as you understand He is the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. And know that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved, and will in no way be put to shame!

Thank you God, that when I call, you always hear. My prayers never fall on deaf ears.

Thank you God, that you always answer. The answer may not be what I want it to be, but it is always right and good.

Thank you God, that when I am in need, you always act. You are everything I need you to be every time I need you to be that.

Thankful, Day Eighty

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Some people don't like the idea of serving the God of the Bible because they see certain examples in the Bible of God's anger and think, "How could a good God do such bad stuff? I want a loving God who never gets mad at me." What they don't understand is that the Judeo-Christian God is the only loving God there is.

He is the God of the universe, and He makes the rules. Every day, God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, fellowshiping with them face to face as friends. And in the beginning, there was only one rule: Don't eat the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you do, you die. Keep in mind that God didn't kill Adam and Eve for eating the fruit, but the knowledge of sin combined with their own disobedience to one simple rule led to their own spiritual deaths and their eventual death.

Following the expulsion from the garden, the next sin we get introduced to is pride, then anger and bitterness, which led to the first murder. The Bible doesn't tell us how Cain got his wife, but it might be safe to assume he knocked her in the head and kidnapped her, because no one wanted anything to do with Cain after he killed Abel. For 1500 years, there were no rules, no laws, and apparently no consequences. And humanity, left to itself, grew increasingly evil, consorted with demons, and became violently wicked. God didn't arbitrarily destroy humanity with the flood; it was an act of mercy, preserving the one family that had not been tainted and totally corrupted by the sins invented in the world so that the human race would live on.

After the flood, there was only one hard-and-fast rule: Don't kill each other. If you break that rule, you die. Does anyone really have a problem with that one?

Flash-forward a thousand years. God chooses a small band of nomadic wanderers to bring about His salvation plan for the earth. He nurtures the family until it has grown to a company of six hundred thousand men plus women and children, leads them into the desert for their own protection, and there gives them ten laws to follow, laws inscribed in stone. And what were they? They weren't just silly rules meant to interfere in peoples' lives. They were good and decent laws for living in community with both God and man. Rules like: I'm the only God; serve me. Don't make images of me; I can't be contained in a picture or a statue. Don't talk bad about me. Give me a day of worship, which will also be a day of rest for yourselves. Obey your parents and treat them right. Don't steal. Don't kill. Don't have sex with your neighbor's wife. Don't lie about other people. And don't let negative emotions like anger, lust, and greed fill your heart.

And if you break those rules, you die. But those rules only applied to those living in that particular nation. The Israelites didn't go around killing everyone who lied to them or stole from them. They only imposed the law on those who were supposed to be living under it. And just in case you're going to ask about all those women and children that were slaughtered when Israel invaded Palestine...those were some evil and awful people groups, thoroughly corrupted by wickedness and demons just like those from before the flood. They were people who roamed the streets of their cities looking for victims to rape and abuse. They sacrificed their own children in the fiery bellies of false gods to ensure a good harvest. They practiced all kinds of sexual immorality and deviancy without restraint, which always leads to the breakdown of the family first, and then the community. These were not good people who died; these were exceedingly bad people.

Under the ten commandments, if you sin, you die. But then Jesus came. The unique and only begotten Son of God arrived on the scene two thousand years ago, spent thirty years in obscurity, spent the next four years doing nothing but good and preaching righteousness and forgiveness, and then suffered a cruel execution at the hands of political and religious maniacs who were threatened by the kingdom He preached--a kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy. And in His death, Jesus accepted all the punishment for all the sins of all the people everywhere. The wages of sin is still death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. Now, you don't have to die for the wrong that you've done. You can get forgiveness and go to heaven and be in relationships with God forever.

And now we are back at the beginning with only one rule: Believe in Jesus Christ for forgiveness and salvation. But if you don't, you die. And still we have a problem with the simplicity of God.

Every religion in the world offers a god, or gods, or gods and goddesses, or sometimes outright demons for people to serve, and they are religions that make demands on the people. If you do enough right things, and give enough money, and have enough good thoughts...then you will earn whatever kind of salvation is being offered and achieve whatever higher state is promised. I'm glad I serve a good and loving God who took it upon Himself to provide for my redemption. What could be better than that?

I'm thankful to be serving a God who provided salvation as a free gift to anyone who would receive it, available to anyone regardless of age, gender, status, or national origin. I know myself, and I cannot do enough good stuff to make up for the bad stuff and somehow earn salvation for myself. Thank you Jesus for doing what you did, for dying so that I wouldn't have to.

I'm thankful to be serving a God who, even in judgment, remembers mercy. God doesn't want to destroy people. Before the flood, He gave the world 100 years of warning to get right, but they rejected. He gave Sodom and Gomorrah the witness of righteous Lot; they ignored it. He gave Egypt a chance through the ministry of Moses, but they hardened their hearts. He gave the world a chance through the good and holy law, not the one inscribed in stone, but the one written on tablets of flesh--our hearts. And still we close our eyes, plug our ears, turn our heads, and harden our hearts against our own conscience. And now He has given us Jesus. We have every chance in the world to embrace mercy (and I'm preaching again...); I'm glad that God wants to love me rather than destroy me.

I'm thankful to be serving a God who is patient and long-suffering, willing not that any should perish. He is slow to anger, abounding in love and mercy and grace. And I'm glad He suffers long with me.

Thankful, Day Seventy-Nine

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Well, I seem to have missed a few days blogging. With good reason, I assure you. But I will also assure you that I continued to be thankful, even without blogging. This Thankful theme has really gotten into my spirit, and I'm thankful for that!

Last week I was thinking about the covenant Name of God, that which we know as Yahweh but which has also been brought into our language in the form of Jehovah. It is the YHWH breath of Hebrew, the I AM. And in our Bibles it has been rendered LORD. I shout to Him, and I'm glad to be serving Him. I'm glad to be able to enter His presence. But I am so very thankful that it is YHWH who is God, and not some of these others we've heard about.

I'm glad the God I know isn't like Zeus or one of the other ancient pagan deities, sneaking around deceiving and seducing women and leaving his half-breed offspring for us to deal with as heroes and tyrants.

I'm glad the God I know isn't like Molech, the fiery god of some of the ancient Moabites and other Canaanite peoples that required his followers to offer their own children as sacrifices in the fires of his iron belly.

I'm glad the God I know isn't like those gods of Japan that have to be bought off with money to keep them from cursing you.

I'm glad the God I know isn't like the Aztec and Mayan gods which constantly had to appeased with human sacrifice.

I'm glad the God I know isn't like Allah, calling for me to give my life in killing others so that I can have a better eternal life.

I'm glad the God I know is gracious and compassionate, rich in mercy and abounding in love. I'm glad the God I know is altogether lovely and infinitely good, great and greatly to be praised. I'm glad the God I know looks down on me with favor and enriches my life with many wonderful blessings. I'm glad the God I know didn't require me to give my own life to atone for my sins, or even the sins of others, but rather He came in the flesh and died for me! I'm glad the God I know can't be bribed or bought, but rather bestows His salvation freely to anyone who will accept it. I'm glad the God I know isn't silent, and is never asleep. I'm glad the God I know is truly omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. He can do anything, and everything He does, He does so well! I'm glad He's a personal God, not vindictive or looking for ways to get me, but has done everything He can to help me.

That's the God I'm glad is God today, and not some other vicious, almost-human, home wrecking, life destroying sovereign. And I'm also glad that I'm not God; and that you aren't either. We would surely make the wrong decisions. But He never does.

God, I'm thankful for Your love today, which you poured out in our lives through your Holy Spirit and demonstrated so limitlessly through your own sacrifice of your only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but would have eternal life.

God, I'm thankful for Your constant forgiveness, and your mercies that are new every morning, because I need them both to make it through the day. I'm so glad that you made your forgiveness available to me whenever I am in need, whenever I call on you, whenever I confess my faults and failures...you are faithful and fair, and you do forgive.

God, I'm thankful for Your wonderful blessings that you continue to bestow upon me, which come in a variety of wonderful ways. I hope you know that I truly appreciate everything you have done to me, and everything you will continue to do!

Thankful, Day Seventy-Eight

Make a joyful shout to the LORD all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

This day is more than over, but I could not close my eyes on it before I gave thanks.

Thank you Lord for speaking. I hope I have heard.

Thank you Lord for hearing. I'm trying to pray the right things.

Thank you Lord for acting on my behalf. I appreciate you doing what I cannot do myself.

Thankful, Day Seventy-Seven

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

I'm glad to be serving the Lord this morning, and not someone or something else.

Some people serve themselves, and live only for themselves. They do whatever they want to do and think themselves happy for it. Perhaps they are, perhaps they will be, for a while. They work for money to spend on their own appetites, trying to buy their pleasure, their satisfaction, their fulfillment. They climb the ladder of life with no regard for anything except self-exaltation. They accumulate accolades and possessions, earn degrees and reputations, cultivate an image by which they want to be known. They primp and groom and fuss and worry over a body that will one day be ravaged by time. But serving one's own self ends up as a very lonely prospect, because you have served nothing greater than yourself.

Some people serve other gods, false deities that cannot see nor hear, reach out or move. They worship imaginations at best, demons at worst, who never help nor aid. They put their trust in gods that must be bribed or bought off, who demand more and more while giving less than nothing. Every religion in the world save one is about banging your head against the wall of the world trying to achieve some standard of personal goodness in order to please your concept of god so that he will in turn let you have whatever it is that your trying to earn.

Others serve the devil, selling their souls for what can never satisfy. They give in to temptation and enticement, to a taste of bread, a sense of pride, or the draw of lust and greed. They listen to the voices inside their heads, and are driven mad by them. Their minds are darkened, their souls tortured, the crazed confusion of having the devil in control a constant chaotic torment.

And in the end, all of these offer only death...and after that? Someone has pointed out that your headstone contains two dates with a dash in between--the date of your birth, the date of your death, and the life you lived from the first to the last. How you spend your dash will determine your fate and eternal destiny; did you serve the only true God who can save you from yourself, the lies of the world, and the devil? Or did you choose to go another way?

The Bible says there is a way that seems right unto man, but its way is the way of death.

The Bible says we need to find the way of God, and walk in it.

The Bible says there is a straight and narrow path that leads to eternal life; but a broad path that leads to destruction.

The Bible says it is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgment.

And the thing that determines where we stand on that day, and in what condition, is not what we've done, but what we believed--Whom we served. There is only one way to get to God, and that is through Jesus Christ. No one comes to the Father except through Him; and there is no other name given under heaven by which we can be saved.

Other people can make the choice to serve whatever; I am glad to be serving the LORD this morning!

Thank you Lord for faith today, for the ability to believe, and reason to trust. You've never let me down or led me astray; I know you won't start today.

Thank you Lord for hope today, for the power to look beyond what we see and hear in the present to what you have promised for our future. Many are your great and precious promises, O Lord, and I believe every one of them.

Thank you Lord for love today, love that casts out all fear; love that covers a multitude of sin; and love that never, ever fails. When we love you and love each other, the world is right. And that is what I do this morning.

Thank you Lord, for faith, hope and love, for these three remain. But the greatest of these is love.

Thankful, Day Seventy-Six

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!

Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the LORD, He is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the LORD is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

I'm shouting to the LORD this morning...not some impersonal deity far removed from my situation, but a personal savior who is intimately involved in my life. He looks down upon me with eyes of compassion and loves me out of a limitless heart. He speaks to me with the voice of a Father, and touches me with His gentle hands. He works within me to make me a better man, a man in His own image and likeness, and He works around me to make all things good. He knows my name, He has numbered my days, He's got all my words written down in His books. He hears my thoughts, knows my heart, listens to my prayers, and works through the power of the Holy Spirit living inside me to accomplish His purposes for my life.

Now those are reasons to shout, right there!

Today, I'm thankful because God won't leave me alone. He's personally involved and invested in my life, and He's not about to leave me to my own devices. He keeps calling me to Him, drawing me closer so that He can reveal more of Himself to me. He never leaves, nor forsakes. He never abandons me, nor goes away. He is with me, He is in me, and He is for me.

I'm thankful because God knows everything I have need of, and He will provide. He supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He gives me everything I need for life and for godliness. He's never let me down, never let me go under, and He's not about to start now.

I'm thankful because God knows everything about me, and He loves me in spite of it. Sometimes I'm lovable, but other times I'm certain I am unlovely, unloving, and unlovable by human standards. But God loves me anyway. He loves me just as I am; but He loves me too much to leave me that way.