Habits of Effective Disciples: Thankfulness
Thankfulness expressed to God and others reveals a heart of gratitude that produces and receives blessings.
David sang about God to his own soul. By recording it, he allowed us to listen in. He lifted a hymn of praise to God as he remembered all of God's benefits. He was able to praise God with his whole soul because God had made his soul whole. He felt God's forgiveness and had been healed. David's hymn of praise was his thankfulness.
WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR MEETING OUR NEEDS
Psalm 103:1-5
Twice David instructs his soul to praise God. First, he summons his inmost being to praise the holy name of the Lord. Second, he remembers God's benefits. David lists several specific blessings of God in verses 3-5.
Our God forgives all our sins.
God is not a scorekeeper. He is patient with us and assures that those who come to Him with a heart of contrite confession are forgiven and sin is forgotten.
Our God heals all our diseases.
God promised the Israelis he would heal them. In Exodus 15:26 He reminded His people that he had brought them out of bondage and is the God who heals them. (In the Hebrew language of the OT here, the term for God is Yahweh Rapha which means God who heals).
Matthew 9:35 teaches us that Jesus filled this position in the NT as He went through the towns and villages healing every disease and sickness. It is important that we remember he healed those before Him who were afflicted but he did not erase disease from the earth. He does not always heal each and every sickness, even among those devoted to Him today while individuals are in mortal life. But this is not the Lord breaking his promise of healing because Christians are indeed healed, either here or in the life to come. His ultimate healing is resurrection into eternal life.
Our God crowns us with love and compassion.
There is no end to His love and caring for His children.
In the NT, Paul tells the Corinthians that our crown is incorruptible. (1st Corinthians 9:25)
At the end of his ministry he reminds Timothy of the crown of righteousness that is reserved for all who love Christ's appearing 2nd Timothy 4:7-8). To the churches in Asia Jesus promises crowns in Revelation when He says "I will glve you a crown of life" (Revelation 3: 11 ).
Our God satisfies our desires. with good things.
We thank God because He satisfies. First he gives us Himself. While we love family and friends and brothers and sisters in Christ and each plays a role in making life better, they are but drops in the ocean of life. God IS that ocean. His blessings fill the innermost needs of our heart. Jesus taught this lesson strongly in Matthew 6:33 when he tells us to first seek the Kingdom and then all these other things will be added.
WE GIVE THANKS TO GOD OUR JUDGE FOR DECLARING US FORGIVEN.
Psalm 103:6-13
The Holy Spirit does surely convict us of sin. However, Satan remains the great accuser (as we learn in Job). But we learn in Revelation 12:10 that is it the Lord who is the great Redeemer and Forgiver. In these verses we are given the great teaching that is the foundation of confession and forgiveness. Once truly confessed, sins are forgiven and are cast away as far as the east is from the west. Sin is repaid with forgiveness, not condemnation and for that we are surely thankful.
WE OBEY GOD BECAUSE HE IS THE ETERNALLY HOLY KING.
Psalm 103:14-22
As a father, God knows our frailty. We are here today and gone tomorrow. This is not the case with the Lord. He is eternal and He loves those who fear Him from everlasting to everlasting. In His holy commands He directs us to to keep the covenant He has made by obeying Him.
While David ruled Israel and Judah, God rules the world. David knew and respected the sovereign rule of the Lord and praised God in thanks for His provision.
WE ARE THANKFUL TO GOD FOR DELIVERING US.
Luke 17:11-19
In the NT, Luke introduces us to an unlikely worshiper, a Samaritan leper. The question is what do we owe to our deliverer?
Jesus met 10 lepers who were unclean and were forced to live outside the city because of their disease. He sends them to the priests to confirm they are cleansed and this cleansing occurs not instantly but as they go toward the Temple. Only one returned to give thanks for his becoming clean and he was the Samaritan who had cried out for mercy and he came back to express thanks.
Whatever our need in our physical body, our need in spirit is always greater. We should recall that God not only wants to heal us physically but much more importantly, wishes to save us.
Ingratitude is our greatest sin. It becomes the root of all other sins in our lives. But when we live as disciples, we live with gratitude for the blessings He allows.
These lepers begged mercy from Jesus. They used the term "master" when they made their plea. The word translated here as master actually also means "commander" Jesus commanded they go to the priests and as they went toward the Temple they were healed. Obedience in direction commanded provided their healing.
Only one returned in thankfulness.
Let us be sure as we learn to become more effective disciples that we ARE that one. Let us be sure that thankfulness resides on our lips for what He has given. We should never forget we have gained mercy, exactly like the lepers. Mercy is not getting what we deserve to get. Grace is getting what we do not deserve to have.
Near the end of the ministry of Charles Spurgeon, at the invitation moment, a woman came to the altar and asked pastor Spurgeon to pray with her for salvation. Her words were never forgotten by this preacher and he wrote that her words just before her moment of salvation were:
"Oh Mr. Spurgeon, if Christ saves me He will never hear the end of it."
As men seeking to become more effective disciples, let us be sure to do the same. Let our thanks be never ending and our gratitude become our guide in living for Him.
