I got this in an email from a dear friend… too good not to share:
You remember the story of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, who sent singers ahead of his army to praise the God who fought on their behalf. I reread that story this morning and was struck by what Jehoshaphat told the singers to sing:
“Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (II Chron 20:21)
Since it’s Thanksgiving Eve, I thought I’d share my meditation on this Scripture.
Give…
This is phrased in the imperative. Lord, I obey the instruction given through your Word. You command me to give, and I obey.
I give thanks to you. By commanding me to give, you suggest that I have something to offer you. Is this itself an expression of your steadfast love – you command me to give thanks because you designed me for that purpose and know it will benefit me? In any case, I give it, even if I’m not sure why. Even if it is only my thanks, I give it freely to you. I bring a sacrifice of praise into your house.
… thanks…
I do not merely offer my gratitude, I give thanks – that is, I express my gratitude to you.
We give thanks for a benefit conferred or anticipated. Our thanks point back to the benefit and to our benefactor. To give thanks is to prompt the question, to whom are we giving thanks, and why?
The word “thanks” is etymologically related to “think.” From dictionary.com: [Origin: bef. 900; (n.) ME: favorable thought, goodwill, gratitude, (in sing. and pl.) expression of thanks; OE thanc (in sing.) expression of thanks, orig., thought, thoughtfulness; (v.) ME thanken, OE thancian (c. D, G danken); akin to think 1] So our thanks are a thoughtful way of expressing our gratitude. They are good manners. Manners are a means of showing respect (again prompting the question, whom are we respecting?).
If our thanks reflect our thoughtfulness, do our thoughts also reflect our thankfulness?
To give thanks is literally an act of faith, and pleases God for the same reason as any. To express thanks is to actualize the gratitude we feel in our hearts. By uttering our thanks, we give mere gratitude the creative power of the spoken word. Our gratitude then becomes a witness to ourselves and to others.
… to the Lord …
We worship a God to whom we can directly address our thanks!
He is not a force or an urge but a person.
He wants not only to speak to us, but to hear from us.
In this context, he is the (not a, or even my) Lord – not only my sovereign, but the ruler of all things – the one who works all things together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose.
… for his steadfast love …
Again, God is a person but he is more – he loves, but not as we love – it must be emphasized that his love is steadfast. Steadfast means “undeviating in constancy and devotion.” God’s love never deviates from its object: me. He never turns his love even one degree away from me in either direction. And it never varies in intensity. God loves me as much today as he did yesterday and as he will tomorrow. That’s because his love is not based on my merits but on his character.
… endures forever.
Here we have almost a triple redundancy for emphasis: God’s love, (a) which is steadfast – “unwavering in its constancy or devotion” – (b) endures (c) forever. When this is the subject of our thanks, how can we not freely offer it from our hearts? And how could it feel like a sacrifice.
“Endures” is an interesting word to describe love. We think of love as soft. A love that endures is a love that is literally hard – the word comes from the Latin “endurare,” to harden. A love like this can survive any blow and outlast every trial. No matter what we go through, at the other end of it that rock will still be there – a mighty fortress and a firm foundation.
Lord, on this Thanksgiving day, I give thanks first and foremost to you, for your enduring love.
posted November 23, 2006 at 4:21 am
Hello David, I have meant to e-mail you for some time and always have been held up by my ailing health. I found the strength tonight to get this message to you. I want you to know that you will be in the prayers of my family and that I have appreciated your Christ-like attitude as you have navigated through the shark-infested politcally co-opted religious waters. I happened to see Dr. James Dobson on Larry King Live and Larry asked him about your book. The dismissive and ungodly attitude that he treated you with was disappointing and at the same time infuriating. I am sending you the e-mail I sent to James Dobson while he was on Larry King. I do hope that we can connect because it appears that your focus is very much in line with mine. God bless you and keep up the good work. ___________________________________ I guess this is more a comment than a question. Dr. Dobson the political partisanship you have just shown in my opinion is reprehensible. You poured out a scathing indictment against David Kuo, who is a professed evangelical brother, and gave unflinching support to Rush Limbaugh, someone who has never professed an “evangelical” faith in Christ — a confessed drug addict and purchaser of narcotics. Where is the same spirit of meekness spoken of in Galatians 6:1 that we are supposed to have for Haggard? To date Kuo has neither been accused of having extramarital affairs or buying illegal drugs and yet he is treated with less respect than those who have been, because he dared disagree with your “political” point of view. Shame on you Dr. Dobson, there was a time where I had more respect for you.
posted November 23, 2006 at 5:47 am
David Kuo has called Christians to take a fast from politics.And David Kuo is busy working politically every single day. His “timely” entrance into the political milieu helped the Democrats take power in both houses. Dr. James Dobson, has not altered the Gospel even one day of his political journey, nor has he joined with anti-Christians in both the Liberal and Progressive wings that dominate the Democrat agenda. If we are going to act like Christians one to the other, that does not include anti-Christians being in one of the groups. Read up on yoking.
posted November 23, 2006 at 5:52 am
Dr. Rhymes – thanks for your post and your defense… please email me if you like at: davidkuo@beliefnetstaff.com
posted November 23, 2006 at 5:52 am
Donny – Happy Thanksgiving.
posted November 23, 2006 at 1:10 pm
David, Happy Thanksgiving. I ain’t fasting today though
Donny
posted November 23, 2006 at 4:59 pm
May each and all be blessed through reflection at this time of year. Even where tragedy has struck, and especially so, let us learn to open our ears and our hearts before our mouths and our egos. Humility comes from open apprehension, and gratitude flows naturally from a soul made naked through the flowering of humility. To sit in awe and simply take it in, wrapped in this envelope of body, mind and soul. Ahhh!
posted November 23, 2006 at 5:56 pm
Amen zero=infinity. Happy Thanksgiving, all!
posted November 24, 2006 at 9:03 am
It would take an utter churl to not appreciate the spirit of comradery and gratitude on this holiday…I am close, but not close enough and so join in the sentiment.