Worship Devotional XCVIII
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 11/20/2021.
Worship Devotional for 11/21/21
~ Thanksgiving ~
Psalm 100:
"Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Acknowledge that Yahweh is God. He made us, and we are His — His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For Yahweh is good, and His love is eternal; His faithfulness endures through all generations."
With Christmastime already in view, people are falling hard for the lure of worldly possessions. Advertisers and marketeers are working hard to exploit the Christmas tradition of gift giving, and the resulting season of shopping and good deals seems to open sooner each year. People associate Christmas with comfort and celebration as they cope with the darkness and cold of winter and as the current year comes to an end and a new one begins. In the midst of the winter holiday frenzy, Thanksgiving tends to come and go without much deep reflection or thought. We remember and observe it on one day in November, only to have Black Friday pull us right back into the stress of consumerism and Christmas preparations before Thanksgiving day is even over. The result is often a stress-filled holiday season that leaves us feeling empty and wondering why we still feel tired afterward despite having just observed a holiday break from daily life.
Maybe I'm being too cynical, but the reality is that there is an enemy who intends to deceive as many people as possible. His deceptions are subtle, but sadly they are often quite effective. He would have us focused on wanting more worldly things, striving to find "good deals" for purchasing things, worried about tension at family gatherings, too distracted to really consider what's true. We start believing the lies that this world can somehow satisfy what we are really searching for. People are also tired right now of the current situation regarding politics and vaccines and economic crisis, so they are anxious for this year to be over and the next year to bring some sort of change.
It's tragic how we pass over Thanksgiving so quickly. We keep looking for comfort and relief in the lies of consumerism, but that's not where it is found. If we want to know true peace and true joy and true rest, we need to learn to be content. We need to listen to God's command for us to give thanks in everything. Why don't we step back, shut off the noise of all our media influences for a second, and consider what we already have? We have so much more than we need. God has graciously and generously provided for our actual needs and blessed us with so many good things to enjoy. Take the time to reflect in your heart on what God has given us. Forget about all the various things you want and remember what you already have. How blessed are we! Now we don't do this for just a second only to turn back to stress and striving and coveting. We surrender our desires to the One who holds all things, and pray for the Holy Spirit to change our hearts, that we may be a people who live in His peace and who do what is good, all for the glory of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Instead of getting more things that we don't need, we focus on giving from the abundant blessings we have to help those who are really in need.
This Thanksgiving, let's focus on the truth — that is, on the Lord and on His Word. Let's take a break from the noise in our lives and tune our hearts to hear the voice of God. As we do this, we will find that we have much to be thankful to God for, and that will lead us to praise Him with all our hearts. This week we are singing about the truth that satisfies, our reason for giving thanks in this season and every season: God is good, and His love endures forever. Hallelujah! Let us celebrate the One who satisfies us with His love and then shine His light to the darkened world around us!
Ephesians 5:15-21:
"Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk — not as unwise people but as wise — making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don't be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled by the Spirit: speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making music from your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of Christ."
Psalm 34:8:
"Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the man who takes refuge in Him!"
Psalm 107:1:
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever."
Psalm 118:28-29:
"You are my God, and I will give You thanks. You are my God; I will exalt You. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever."
Philippians 4:4-7:
"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
Colossians 3:12-17:
"Therefore, God's chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, accepting one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a complaint against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. Above all, put on love — the perfect bond of unity. And let the peace of the Messiah, to which you were also called in one body, control your hearts. Be thankful. Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
Songs:
II Chronicles 20 by David Danielson
Theme(s): Psalm 34, Psalm 100, Thanksgiving
Scripture references:
II Chronicles 20
Psalms 30, 32-34, 100, 107, 116, 118, 136
Ephesians 5:1-21
Philippians 2:12-16, 4:4-9
Colossians 3:12-17
1 Thessalonians 5 (esp. vv. 12-22)
Hebrews 13:1-17
1 Peter 2:1-10