Jump Start # 2970

Psalms 138:1 “I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing praises to You before the gods.”

NOTE: With tomorrow being a holiday, there will be no Jump Start. We look forward to being back with you on Friday.

Tomorrow is the national holiday we call Thanksgiving. It is a day set aside to be thankful. For the disciple, this is just one day of a whole year of thankful days. The child of God realizes that he is blessed, loved and saved by the amazing grace of Jesus Christ.

Our Psalm today, written by David, reminds us of the many ways to be thankful. David didn’t have a special Thursday in November that made him think this way. This was his way of life. And, it is our way of life as well.

First, the chapter begins, as our verse states, “I will give You thanks with all my heart.” To be thankful one recognizes the generosity of someone else. He not only appreciates it, but he expresses that. Thank you. Thank you with all of my heart. Thank you with all that I have and all that I am.

Second, the thankful heart naturally leads to praising. Within our verse we find, “I will sing praises to You.” I sing, because I am thankful. We find here a cheerful, joyous heart. A heart that is content. A heart that is not looking at what others have, or, complaining, or is bitter or jealous. This heart is joyful. It is a thankful heart. Maybe why we hear so much complaining these days is that folks are no longer thankful.

Third, David was thankful, in the next verse, for God’s lovingkindness and truth. It is that truth that shows us Jesus. It is that truth that pulled us out of the pit of darkness and despair. Truth was a key that opened the prison door. That truth led to salvation. That truth led to righteous living and godly choices. Thankful for truth. Thankful for those who preach the truth. Thankful for those who are not ashamed of the truth. Thankful for those who defend the truth. Thankful for being among those who walk in the truth. Without the truth, we are blinded by the darkness of error. Truth is a light and shines forth.

Fourth, David said, “On the day I called, You answered me.” Answered prayers. Thankful for answered prayers. Thankful that God cares enough to listen to us. Thankful that God doesn’t think, “Not him again,” or, “what does he want now?” Not God. He’s not like that. How many times have you prayed to God? How many times has the Lord forgiven you? How many times have you needed God’s help? For most of us, it’s too many to count. “You answered me,” is what David said. He remembered. He was thankful that God was there for him.

Fifth, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me.” Those words are sure fitting for us today. Trouble is everywhere. We walk in the midst of trouble. Yet, for David, the Lord kept him safe. The Lord was there for him. The Lord kept trouble away. Think about the times we see this in David’s life. As a shepherd, there was the lion and the bear that he encountered. Then there was a giant. Then there was King Saul. Then there was Philistines. Later in life, there was his own son. Trouble was always swirling around David, but somehow, and we know how, God kept him safe. How about your life? Trouble at work. Trouble at home. Trouble in the neighborhood. Trouble in church. Trouble in your heart. God has kept you going. God has been for you. God has kept you going.

If it has been a while since you looked through Psalm 138, I’d encourage you to take another look, especially on the eve of Thanksgiving. David realized that God was in his life. God had touched his life. David was thankful.

May we become the same…not just today, but everyday.

Roger