4/3/17
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Psalm 118 seems almost scattered. It jumps from one idea to another, to another. Yet there is at least one unifying factor. Giving thanks to the LORD for his faithful and powerful care of his people is an offering which he finds pleasing.
We are all too eager to give thanks to God. However, we frequently want to leave ourselves in control of the thanksgiving. We give praise to God because we delight in him. We give praise to God because we expect to be rewarded. We recognize God’s grace because we want something.
The passage we have here from Psalm 118 does not allow for that. Rather, we give thanks to God becausue he has made the world in that way. Returning thanks for his love, his grace, his mercy, and his power is the only reasonable response. He is the one who ushers us into his presence. God is the one in charge of the Christian’s worship from beginning to end. It isn’t about us. It’s about God.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the three-year lectionary.
Psalm 118 seems almost scattered. It jumps from one idea to another, to another. Yet there is at least one unifying factor. Giving thanks to the LORD for his faithful and powerful care of his people is an offering which he finds pleasing.
We are all too eager to give thanks to God. However, we frequently want to leave ourselves in control of the thanksgiving. We give praise to God because we delight in him. We give praise to God because we expect to be rewarded. We recognize God’s grace because we want something.
The passage we have here from Psalm 118 does not allow for that. Rather, we give thanks to God becausue he has made the world in that way. Returning thanks for his love, his grace, his mercy, and his power is the only reasonable response. He is the one who ushers us into his presence. God is the one in charge of the Christian’s worship from beginning to end. It isn’t about us. It’s about God.
If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.
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