Give Thanks

Ezra 3: ¹¹ With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord: “He is so good! His faithful love for Israel endures forever!” Then all the people gave a great shout…” [emphasis added]

When a child wakes up from a nightmare, hearing the voice of the parent alone is comforting. Immediately the child hears the statement, “Its okay, Daddy/Mummy is here”, the child feels a sense of security and calms down. The child does not first measure the circumference of the parent’s biceps. Knowing that Mummy or Daddy is there is enough. Whether the parent can fight or not does not matter. The child feels secure in the parent’s arms. That child will sleep off on the parent’s shoulder regardless of what is out there. I am certain everyone can relate to this, either as a parent or as a child. God is saying to you today “Daddy is here!” Take a deep breath and let fear go.

Just like He said to the Jews in Haggai chapter two, God is saying to you do not be afraid because He is with you. Note that God did not say, “Do not be afraid because there will be no danger”. He is saying the reason you should not be afraid is because He is with you.  God is with you! Write this truth down and put it before you today. Rom.8:³¹ “What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” So the question is not who is going to permit me to get this business. The question is, who is going to stop me from getting this business? Nobody! If they try, they will meet your God.

The next thing to do is to go forward with gratitude. Ezra 3:¹⁰ When the builders completed the foundation of the Lord’s Temple, the priests put on their robes and took their places to blow their trumpets. And the Levites, descendants of Asaph, clashed their cymbals to praise the Lord, just as King David had prescribed. These people had only built the foundation but they were rejoicing. That is so instructive. Stop postponing your celebration till after you see God’s hand, or till the house is completed. These people began to give thanks to God even from the foundation. What is stopping you from doing the same? Are you really grateful for what you have? Are you really grateful for your health, for your spouse, for your children, and for the promise of fruitfulness? How you treat what you have shows your gratitude.

Prayer [hymn]: “Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”  Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me! Amen!