Songs of Thanksgiving

Photo by Ben Schumin 2009

Thanksgiving is nothing to keep quiet about – we should shout our thanks to God from the rooftops (Luke 12:3), and sing it aloud until the joyous sound overflows the sanctuary into the streets, for all to hear and rejoice! Even without corporate worship, we can sing the melody of thanksgiving in our hearts until it bubbles over as joy in our everyday life!

We tend to think of Thanksgiving as a holiday with time off from work, gatherings with family and friends, a feast day when we often overindulge in delicious food, the big football game, a televised parade that becomes more secular with every passing year, or even planning ahead for Black Friday sales and shopping spree.

As pleasant as all this can be, Thanksgiving is not about us. It’s all about God, and thanking Him for all the amazing blessings He has bestowed on us. Thank God we are saved by trusting in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way (John 14:6) to Heaven! Let us give Him thanks for His Word, the indwelling Holy Spirit to teach, guide and encourage us; family, friends, health, prosperity, a loving and Bible-preaching church, and ministry opportunities in which to serve Him and bless others.

Sometimes it is easier to be thankful than in other times, but even in trials we can thank Him that He works all things together for our ultimate good, the good of others, and His glory (Romans 8:28).

There is nothing passive about thanksgiving as described in Scripture, for it is accompanied by active participation in praise, worship, sacrifice, and prayer.

The Law of Moses described sacrifices of thanksgiving that did not involve merely bringing an offering, but preparing, cooking and even frying it first! Unleavened cakes were to be mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes of fine flour and oil were to be fried. Leavened bread was also part of the sacrifice of thanksgiving, so you can imagine all the baking that went on before these offerings could even be brought to the tabernacle or temple! (Leviticus 7:11-13).

This was not to be done grudgingly or out of a sense of duty, but of the giver’s own free will (Leviticus 7:15). And yet, you can’t outgive God! (Ephesians 3:20). He commanded that the sacrifice of thanksgiving, once offered to the Lord, was to be eaten by the giver the same day, so he was rewarded for honoring God’s commandment (Leviticus 7:29-31)

It reminds me of the Easter basket my grandmother used to prepare before Resurrection Sunday, full of delicious dishes like roast lamb, colorfully dyed eggs, Kulich (a very tall coffee cake filled with candied fruits), and Pascha (a creamy sweet spread). She would bring it to the Russian Orthodox church the afternoon before the Easter vigil as an offering to be blessed, and after the candlelight procession and singing to celebrate Jesus Christ rising from the dead, we would bring it home and devour its tasty contents, all the while thanking God for His goodness!

Thanking God for a great work He has done through us (John 15:5) should not be a perfunctory acknowledgement of God’s blessing, but an active celebration, often involving song and music! At the dedication of the wall rebuilt in Jerusalem under Nehemiah’s leadership, all the Levites were summoned to keep the dedication with gladness, thanksgivings, singing, cymbals, psalteries, and harps, to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God (Nehemiah 12:27, 46).

The Psalms are replete with descriptions of voicing thanksgiving to God through joyful testimony of all He has done (26:7; 107:22), singing (69:30; 147:7), joyful noise (95:2), praise (100:4), calling on His Name (116:17), and praising Him on the harp (147:7).

The first Thanksgiving after I was saved, the church we joined had a service in which members were invited to stand and give a brief testimony of what they were most thankful for. I felt a very strong leading by the Holy Spirit to get up and thank Him for my salvation, yet my timidity won out, and I quenched the Spirit by remaining quiet. The next day I awoke with laryngitis and was unable to speak at all, which I took as a warning to obey God immediately when I clearly heard His voice calling me to use mine, to His glory! 

The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah spoke of God’s plan to restore salvation to Israel, which would be accompanied by joy, gladness, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody (Isaiah 51:3) and “thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry” (Jeremiah 30:19).

Thanksgiving need not be loud and boisterous, but may be whispered quietly, as in prayer and supplication (Philippians 4:6; Colossians 4:2).  The apostle Paul encouraged us not only to encourage one another and worship Christ in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs sung aloud, but also to make melody in our heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19).

Not only on Thanksgiving Day or in harvest season, but every day until Christ comes again to rapture His children, may we honor Him and encourage one another with songs of thanksgiving, whether sung aloud or lifted up in our hearts!

© 2021 Laurie Collett

 

 

 

As a song of Thanksgiving, I wrote words to a song, "Give Thanks to the Lord," sung on Nov. 21, 2021 at Fowler Ave. Baptist Church. I pray that you will find it a blessing!

I’ll Take the High Road, or Low Road?

 

Photo by Elfea 2009

I dreamed I was in an old tenement section of a city, trying to find my way home. I was making my way from building to building by traveling across the rooftops and at times from one window ledge to the next, even though my path was dangerously narrow. I was afraid I would fall to the concrete below, where broken glass, garbage, and jagged rocks cluttered the ground.

At one point my path across the window ledge and over the roof was blocked, and I realized I had no choice but to climb down before I could resume my journey. I crawled down the side of the wall by placing one foot after another on protruding bricks, made my way on the pavement to the next building, then scaled the wall so I could continue on the high road. It was exhausting, but I was relieved to be on the rooftop again where I felt safer.

Then the scene changed in the dream and I was in the mountains of Ireland, hiking with a group of friends from our church. We started out along the path leading up from the road toward the gentle slope of the hillside. In the distance we could see the craggy peaks of the summit, and my pace quickened, for I yearned to be up there to get a better view.

But then I heard a voice calling me from below and I realized that one of my friends, a young woman, had ventured out on an alternate path from the trail head. It appeared to lead to a short cut and to save time reaching the summit, but it was actually more treacherous because the level stretch led straight through a bog.

From past experience I know that getting your boots stuck in the mud of an Irish bog is a sensation that I imagine is like being in quicksand. On one occasion I actually had to leave a boot behind and hobble back to the path in one boot and one sock, because it was the only way to escape being pulled down further.

The last thing I wanted to do was to leave the exhilarating trail leading upward and to go back, risking getting stuck in the mud. But now my friend’s cries sounded desperate; the others had already disappeared around the bend; and I knew I had no choice. I hurried back down the path, grabbed a few stray branches to pave our way, and helped her out of the bog and back to the main road.

As I awoke, I thought about the parallels between the situations in the dream and detours in our Christian walk. Like other aspects of life, we never remain in the same place – either we are advancing and making progress, or we retrogress and get further away from our desired destination.

We long to find our way home, for we are just strangers in a foreign land (Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11), and we long to reach the summit where we will see Christ face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). One day we will, if we place our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

When Christ returns for His children at the Rapture (1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 3:13-18), we will instantly be transformed and receive our glorified bodies to be as He is. But until then, we undergo the gradual change of sanctification (1 Thessalonians 3:8-13; 4:1-12), becoming more conformed to His image through prayer, meditation on His Word, and even suffering (Philippians 3:10).

Sometimes what seems like a setback in our Christian walk may actually be a trial God allows into our life to increase our faith in and dependence on Him, to conform us into His image through suffering, and to give us compassion and experience to help others going through similar trials (Romans 8:28).

In the first part of the dream, when I was trying to get home, the path to my destination was narrow and challenging, as is the Way that leads to Heaven (Matthew 7:13-14). When my path across the high ground was blocked, I had to descend downward into danger, but only for a short time before He provided a way back up again.

Even when we are in a deep pit (Job 33:28-30; Psalm 30:3; Isaiah 38:17), or passing through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4), we have no cause to fear, for He will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). When obstacles in our path seem insurmountable, He will guide us to the mountain pass leading safely through them.

The second part of the dream was a reminder that God has made divine appointments for us since before the beginning of time (Ephesians 2:10; Romans 8:29-30), although we have the free will to accept or decline them.

In the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), the Pharisee and the Levite ignored the wounded Samaritan on the side of the road. But no doubt they felt justified in doing so, because to stop would have taken them away from what they thought was their higher calling – namely, fulfilling their religious duties and service. By not stopping they actually showed that their hearts were not with Jesus (Matthew 15:8), Who commanded that we love one another (John 13:34-35).

Yet Jesus said that the true neighbor in the parable was the Samaritan who tended to the dying man at great expense and sacrifice to himself, showing God’s selfless love (John 15:13) and putting His plan above his own personal agenda (Proverbs 3:5-6). May we listen when He calls us (John 10:27) to help others, even though at the time we may have different ideas of how we should be serving Him.

 
May we walk toward the heavenly places He has appointed for us by walking in love (Ephesians 5:2), in the light (1 John 1:7), and in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25) until He comes again!

© 2015 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Don’t Fall Back – Redeem the Time!

 

Photo by Garry Knight 2012

Spring forward, fall back! Catchy saying that helps us remember which direction to change the clocks, but is it good advice, Biblically speaking, to fall back?

Paul encourages us to move forward in our Christian walk, using the metaphor of running a race (1 Corinthians 9:24) as does the writer of Hebrews (12:1). Yet even when we can’t sprint forward in our Christian walk, we should at least stand our ground. We can’t outrun the devil, so there is no point in fleeing from him, but we can resist him by submitting ourselves to God’s Word and promises, so that the devil will flee from us (James 4:7).

When discussing spiritual warfare, Paul tells us four times to stand our ground. Ephesians 6:11 “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.… 13 that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore.” He uses this metaphor over and over, telling us to stand fast in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13), in Christian liberty (Galatians 5:1), in unity of spirit (Philippians 1:27), in the Lord (Philippians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 3:8), and in Christian teaching (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

For those regions observing Daylight Savings Time, this Sunday is the time change most of us prefer. What will you do with that “extra” hour? On the night that we set the clocks back one hour, it seems like we get an extra hour to sleep or to stay up late doing whatever we like. But’s it’s just an illusion -- we don’t really get any extra time. Time marches on, and our moments left on earth dwindle away with every passing second.

Whether through death or the Rapture for believers, or the day of judgment for those who have not placed their faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), ttime is short before each of us will see Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). Our life is “but a vapor” (James 4:14), vanishing as quickly as the visible breath we exhale on a cold day.

Some may complain that “God isn’t fair” as they notice that money, talents, health, intelligence, power, beauty, and other blessings are not distributed equally among us. Every good and perfect gift comes from above (James 1:17), and God owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10), distributing resources according to His divine plan. Meanwhile, Satan paces the earth (Job 1:7), placing his henchmen in positions of authority (Ephesians 6:12) while trying to hinder believers from being productive for God.

But time does not play favorites --  each of us has 24 hours in a day, no more and no less. When that day is gone, it’s gone forever. We can’t store, buy, borrow, steal, or create time.

As J. R. R. Tolkien's character Gandalf said, “All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you.”

So let’s make the right choice and redeem the time! (Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 4:5). With prayer and Holy Spirit guidance, believers can make each moment on earth have eternal significance. Once the clock stops on earth and we enter eternity, time lasts forever. So our top priority here should be to maximize our experience there, realizing that we will enjoy eternally the rewards we earn for our earthly service (Matthew 6:20).

Every soul led to Christ, every believer encouraged and uplifted, every gift given with the right motive to further His kingdom, will be the gold, silver and precious stones that will endure the fire of judgment (1 Corinthians 3: 12-14) and be a crown we can lay at Jesus’ feet (Revelation 4:10-11). May we hear Him say, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21; Luke 19:17) and be rewarded with positions of responsibility in the Millennial Kingdom!

God created and controls time just as He created and controls everything else. One day to Him can be as a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8), and His power is so unlimited that He created the universe in six literal days (Exodus 20:11; 31:17). He created day and night to measure time (Genesis 1:5) and set aside one day of seven as a day of rest to divide time into weeks (Genesis 1:31;2:3). His creation and alignment of the sun, moon and planets gave rise to time divisions of months, seasons and years (Genesis 1:14). Those seasons reflect different times and purposes within our earthly life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

God designed our bodies to have internal rhythms harmonizing with daily, monthly, and yearly cycles. Because He even designed atoms to have their own internal frequencies, extremely accurate atomic clocks can measure time using the microwave signal that electrons in atoms emit when they change energy levels.

The clock keeps ticking, but nothing is impossible with God (Matthew 19:26). He can even stop the sun and moon to accomplish His plan (Joshua 10: 12-14). He can add 15 years to a life that should have ended, although when He did so for King Hezekiah in answer to his prayer (2 Kings 20: 1-11), there were negative consequences that Hezekiah could not have anticipated (2 Kings 20:12-18; 21: 1-6).

What if you knew that extra hour on Time Change Sunday, or any hour, would be your last? How would you spend it? My prayer is that those who keep putting off trusting Christ would realize that now is the accepted time of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). And as believers, may we get our hearts right with God by dying to our sin nature (1 Corinthians 15:31), yielding to the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), asking others for forgiveness and forgiving them (Matthew 18:21-35), expressing love to family and friends (1 Peter 1:22), and telling everyone who would listen that Jesus saves!

 
But we are not promised tomorrow (James 4:13), or even another hour, so why not do all that now? We can get so busy with work, school, hobbies and even church that we forget to redeem the time and make every moment count. This earth is not our home, and we should spend our “time of sojourning” here considering how God will evaluate what we have done with our time (1 Peter 1:17).

Before we rush off to put out the fires and jump the hurdles we will encounter every day, we should make time to hear God through His Word (Psalm 119:97,105,133),and to pray that He would open the right doors, show us the right paths (Proverbs 3:5-6), and guide us through the day’s journey (Psalm 5:3; 143:8; Mark 1:35). Time spent in prayer allows us to use our time more productively and wisely. A wise preacher once said that he was too busy not to pray!

The peace and wisdom found in prayer will order our thoughts and steps (Psalms 37:23), calm our anxieties, and make us more focused and productive in all we do. Whatever we do, we can do it to glorify God in an attitude of service and excellence (Colossians 3:23).

While showering and dressing, we can renew our minds (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23) with Christian radio or CDs. If we’re stuck in traffic, we can use the time to listen for God’s directions and to pray for our loved ones. While we wait in a checkout line at the supermarket, we can pray that all those in the store who are not saved will come to know Christ as their Savior, and that all the believers there will grow in faith, wisdom, and fruitfulness. Or, we can strike up a friendly conversation with the person behind us in line and pray that God will open the door for us to witness.

In the waiting room at the doctor’s office, why not bring our Bible to increase our wisdom, joy and peace, instead of thumbing through old magazines? Someone might ask us about what we’re reading, and it could be a divine appointment to share the meaning of God’s Word in our life.

In a sense, every hour that we’re on earth is that “one extra hour,” because it allows us a new beginning, a time to start over in doing what pleases God. So don’t fall back in your Christian walk -- redeem the time! 

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives