Thankfulness… (Psalm 9) 280108
Yesterday, I had a conversation with a young lady who will be joining the society to work after her study, sometime in May. I challenged her to give her entire first month pay as an offering to God, in any manner. She thinks this is a good idea but a tough decision, because one full month pay is a lot of money to a new graduate! She was contemplating.
Well, there is no rule and commandment in the Bible that requires Christian to give his first month pay to the Lord, but it is a biblical principle to do so. I am not going into the detail of this, because my point is not about giving, it is about thankfulness.
I am once again reminded to be thankful for what I have been going through. I am reminded that blessings are from God, adversities are also from God. Both have the common purpose: to draw me into an attitude of thankfulness. The Psalmist give thanks with all his heart and sing praises to God’s name (v1-2), not because he had received blessings upon blessings. On the contrary, he was hard pressed by his enemies and he saw injustice all around him (v3-10). If I were him, I will be in disillusion. How can a righteous God allow injustice to His people? But the Psalmist was thankful and his heart was full of gratitude. He continued to sing praise to the Lord, who dwells in Zion (v11).
I am reminded that the Psalmist can be thankful was not because of the situation around him, it is because he fixed his eyes upon the Lord who dwells in Zion. He always had God in his heart and mind, therefore, he can be thankful. Thankfulness is having God in one’s heart and mind. Thanklessness is equal to Godlessness in one’s heart and mind!
I have gone through much last year. I really don’t know how to give thanks, but I will try. Because at the end of the day, it is not about me, it is because God is, therefore I am. I want to live a life of thankfulness, not a live of thanklessness which will eventually lead to Godlessness.
I want to give thanks for my godly and supportive wife. I want to give thanks for my lovely little princess. I want to give thanks for my small group for their love and understanding and prayer. I want to give thanks for my classmates in SBC for their encouraging fellowship and open sharing. I want to give thanks for those people who have been journeying with me through this wilderness. I wan to give thanks to God for giving me all these people and this experience, so that I can be drawn closer and more intimate with Him.
I want to give thanks for you, if you are reading. God deserves my praise because He is real to me. Is God real to you too?
HHS…
Abel…
