“The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” Psalm 50:23
How thankful are you right now? Scratching your head trying to think of something to be thankful for, are you? (I know… it is early.) “Only” having the Gospel is reason enough to be thankful. Did you think of that one? Make your changed heart because of the Gospel an offering of thanks right now, if you haven’t.
The above passage presses us, “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.” That is verse 23, but back in verse 14 of the same Psalm we also read, “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving and perform your vows to the Most High…” which could be more easily translated, “Make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God.” The Psalmist reminds us that thanksgiving, as a sacrifice, is a duty and a desire for those who are His.
Thankfulness reveals a devoted heart. And it is a devoted heart that God demands, expects and gets… thankfully from those who are His. Our God does not delight in offerings for duties sake without devotion. Solomon says in Eccl. 12:13-“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” Devotion to duty is the formula here…fearing God…loving and being thankful enables us to want to keep His commandments and when we want to do something that is just what we do with a thankful/devoted heart.
II Corinthians 9:15 puts our devotion and duty up front and center when Paul expresses his heart with, “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift!” His “inexpressible/indescribable gift” to us includes total forgiveness and Jesus’ righteousness, His unwavering love and sovereign rule, peace now and heaven later…and this is just a few more of the reasons for us to be thankful in the morning…at mid-day… and after the sun goes down. Giving a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies the Lord. And, just to remind us, what is our chief end…our very purpose for existence? To glorify the Lord…an offering of thanks makes that job easier! “The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.”
So stop whatever you are doing right now and give thanks from your heart of devotion no matter the circumstance so that God is glorified!
God Bless y’all today.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
