Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who by understanding made the heavens

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who spread out the earth above the waters,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who made the great lights,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

the sun to rule over the day,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

the moon and stars to rule over the night,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and brought Israel out from among them,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who divided the Red Sea in two,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and made Israel to pass through the midst of it,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

but overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who led his people through the wilderness,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

to him who struck down great kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and killed mighty kings,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and Og, king of Bashan,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and gave their land as a heritage,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

a heritage to Israel his servant,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

and rescued us from our foes,

for his steadfast love endures forever;

he who gives food to all flesh,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

- Psalm 136

We read through this verse in Prayer Group on Thursday and it's kind of stuck with me since then. I love how all the stuff that God has done for the Israelites is sandwiched between the 1st three and the last verse of this chapter. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever...Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever. It's been a reoccurring theme in my life lately. Be thankful for who God is not what He does. Because the things that God does are not what makes Him God. He's not God because He forgives, but He forgives because He's God. He's not God because He loves, but He loves because He's God.

It's a simple concept, really but it's so difficult to grasp. Because as humans we have all kinds of expectations. For other people and for God. And when those expectations aren't met, well that's when we struggle to be thankful. Focusing on what God does for us - it'll get us in trouble during those dark periods of our lives. And we all have them. Don't even lie.

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

-Philippians 4:11-13

I want to be there. Thankful in hunger and need. Thing is, I really can't say I've experience those things. Not that I haven't had dark periods, but honestly I've never really been lacking in anything. In the midst of writing this post, I've been talking to some of the lovely ladies on Bloom who have reminded me just how blessed I really am. I do have a lot to be thankful for and I need to be aware of that. However - I also need to realize that the only reason any of it is there for me to enjoy is because it is a blessing from God. And the only reason God blesses me is because He loves me. And He loves me because He is God. And that is what I need to be thankful for. The other stuff, it doesn't matter. Really. Because it's not eternal. But God is. And I praise and thank Him for that tonight.