Wednesdays with Words: Steadfast, Endures, Forever

It’s the day before Thankgiving here in the US.

The children and I are heading to my parent’s home to help my mom prepare tomorrow’s dinner.

Anyway, today I want to consider the reason for and recipient for our Thanksgiving.

The recipient is God. He is deserving of our thanks. Period. We are his creatures, his creation. For that reason – and that reason alone – we should be grateful and express that to Him.  Every day. Not once per year, not when we think about it, but all the time, every day.

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
(Psalm 118:1 ESV)

But – and He is so good – He understands our frame. He knows that his existence, his being – while sufficient to be adored and thanked – is a little abstract for us fallen creatures. So He gives us reasons to thank him.  Why should we thank the Lord?

1. He is good. Not only is His being sufficient to deserve thanks, but He is good. His goodness, as an attribute, is a reason for thanksgiving. We don’t have a wicked creator. He is goodness, he exudes goodness, he shares his goodness with his people, his creatures. Oh, give thanks to Him!

2. His steadfast love endures forever. A refrain throughout scripture is God’s steadfast love. In 1 John, God is love. (but be careful of the reverse!) He is the essence of love, he expresses love within the Trinity, he teaches us to love. And that love is steadfast. Constant. Unchanging and unchangeable. He is not capricious, but loves enduringly. Forever.  Oh, give thanks to Him!

You want to *revel* in God, consider the wonders he has done and be thankful.

He has created this magnificent world. He has sustained the world instead of utterly destroying it after man fell. He has chosen and guarded and guided a people for his purposes. He has sent His only Son to live as a man, die as a man carrying our sin and His righteaous wrath against our sin, and rise again that we might have life.

He continues to call people, give them new hearts, give them a new community and fellowship, build a new creation. Behold! He is making all things new. We can “Rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.”

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