Over the past several months I have endeavored to write for you some understanding of the Christian’s relationship to the world around him or her. We have certainly not exhausted the texts of Scripture that relate to this aspect of the disciple’s life, and we may well return to the topic in the near future. But, this month, I do wish to take a brief departure.
It is, of course, the month of November which brings with it the “serious” autumn weather and the prospects of another “holiday season.” That means soon we will see all sorts of reminders to be thankful, and our annual Praise Service and Pie Social will once again be among the reminders! And I do not make light of that. God’s Word is so plain that the people of God should be a people who express their thankfulness:
- Psalms 30:4 Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
- Psalms 75:1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
- Psalms 79:13 But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.
- Psalms 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
- Psalms 105:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!
- Psalms 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
- 2 Corinthians 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
- Ephesians 5:20 …giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
- Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
And that is just the “tip of the iceberg”!
But my heart and mind are on a different kind of thankfulness as I write this out. In our Sunday worship services we have been diligently following the Savior with His disciples on the night before He was crucified. We have seen Him lovingly wash their feet. His gracious act of providing the Communion table has been expounded before us. The joys of heaven and eternity within the Father’s house are among the things we have learned. However, today as I have been studying the Word of God, I have been struck again by how much I am like the disciples. And I don’t mean that in the best way!
Even after all that took place in the upper room, Jesus knew that his disciples were going to fail Him. In fact, He told them so on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane. He also knew that they would be restored to Him and the would go on in their service for Him. Even though Jesus knew they would falter in the face of the trial of His crucifixion, He purposed to forgive them and use them. In one sense, it was further proof that the trials of a disciple, when they drive him or her back to Jesus, are used to make that disciple stronger.
And that is what I am thankful for today!
Trials are far too well known, aren’t they? At least it seems so in my heart. Even though I know God’s Word tells me to count them as joy and that God walks with me through each one, I get very weary of their constant presence. You do, too, I know. But when I am thinking clearly and my heart is trusting faithfully, I understand that trials are something for which I should truly be thankful. And I want to do that.
William Cowper knew quite a bit about trials. I encourage you to look up his biography some time and see what I mean. But he also knew God’s sustaining and teaching grace that comes through trials. And he wanted to let others know that as he wrote the following poem. I hope it speaks to you as it has to me.
Welcome Cross
‘Tis my happiness below
Not to live without the cross,
But the Saviour’s power to know,
Sanctifying every loss;
Trials must and will befall;
But with humble faith to see
Love inscribed upon them all,
This is happiness to me.God in Israel sows the seeds
Of affliction, pain, and toil;
These spring up and choke the weeds
Which would else o’erspread the soil:
Trials make the promise sweet,
Trials give new life to prayer;
Trials bring me to His feet,
Lay me low, and keep me there.Did I meet no trials here,
No chastisement by the way,
Might I not with reason fear
I should prove a castaway?
Bastards may escape the rod,
Sunk in earthly vain delight;
But the true-born child of God
Must not—would not, if he might.
Posted on November 1st, 2007 by Pastor Larry
Filed under: From the Pastor’s Pen
