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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Praise the Lord


I went to a party several years ago. My wife and I had a great time. We left with several other people. Everyone said their departing pleasantries, but I forgot to say “Thank You.”
 
The next day, when I realized my omission, I felt bad. I remedied the situation with a phone call, but I still felt a bit foolish.
 
 
King David is praising the Lord for all he does. David tells us that the Lord heals, forgives, provides, loves and provides justice. David goes on to say that the Lord does not hold grudges and is compassionate.
 
David’s praises go far beyond “Thank You.”
 
Today, 3,000 years later, we have a lot to be thankful for. God has given us families so that we are not alone.  He provides us with food and clothing. He has given us the gift of medicine, and he has given us vocations so that we can help each other.  When our vocations get the best of us, he even gives us vacations to refresh and renew ourselves.
 
More importantly, God has given us wisdom. He gave us his Word, that is, the Bible, and he has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can understand his Word. His Word tells us a bit about God and how he loves those he created.  It also tells us how God expects us to live. It even gives us tasks that will please him. When things get rough, His Word gives us hope.
 
Most importantly, however, God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to atone for our sins. Although he might get angry at us for not living up to his standards, Jesus’ death on the cross “forgives all our sins.” Jesus' painful act of compassion assures us that we will have eternal life with him.
 
Sometimes we take God’s graciousness and love for granted. We get busy with work or with our families, or perhaps even watching a football game. When we realize our forgetfulness, it can make us feel bad.
 
Remember all God has done for us, and, like David, praise God and give him thanks!
 
You don’t even need a phone to remedy the situation.

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