Thanks

Thanks

O Lord our God, save us! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you.

Psalm 106:47

Have you ever noticed that a grateful mom is not usually a miserable mom? I’m not suggesting that a grateful mom never gets sick, never gets angry at her kids, or never encounters challenges in relationships. But a grateful mom has an attractive manner.

Psalm 106 encourages us to be thankful for the goodness of the Lord. It also gives us some pictures of what life was like for the Israelites when they weren’t thankful. Their path toward misery included the following:

• Giving no thought to God’s miracles
• Not remembering the kindness of the Lord
• Grumbling and rebelling
• Not waiting for God’s counsel
• Giving in to their cravings
• Growing envious
• Worshipping false idols
• Not believing God’s promises
• Provoking God by their wicked deeds
• Mingling with the pagan nations and adopting their customs
• Defiling themselves morally

In spite of the fact that the Israelites’ lack of thankfulness to God led them into all kinds of sin, when they cried to God out of their distress, he heard them and helped them. God’s patience and mercy in dealing with them was astounding.

We can learn so much from the Israelites. We easily fall into the same patterns of grumbling, complaining, and forgetting the God who has saved and blessed us. May we remember that God inhabits the hearts of people who thank and praise him, but people who grumble and rebel lead miserable lives. Thankfully, the God who showed patience and mercy to the Israelites shows patience and mercy to us too.

Father,

We are grateful for your patience and mercy with us. May we look for things to thank you for each day, rehearsing the blessings you have given us. Amen.