Trust and Be Thankful

Trust and Be Thankful 

by David Brenneman 

"This is the day which the Lord has made;

Let’s rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24 NASB 

Was reading and came across this verse.

Made me also think of this one: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB 

The first verse I remember learning as a chorus. It sort of goes like this:

"This is the day

This is the day

This is the day that the Lord has made that the Lord has made 

We will rejoice we will rejoice and be glad in it and be glad in it

This is the day that the Lord has made we will rejoice and be glad in it. 

Oh this is the day this is the day that the Lord has made."

The theme in Psalm 118 is easily thankfulness.  I know that I don't thank God enough for all that He's done for me.  My efforts in life aren't always at a hundred percent in what I do for Him.  I get distracted by the world as much as anyone.  Remembering to be thankful is especially hard in difficult times. When our feelings are feeling the opposite of that.

"Father, we wanna thank You

For givin' us and gifted Your Son, Jesus

And in return we wanna give You all that we have

Our hearts, our lives and our thanks

… Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given

Jesus Christ, His Son

… Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given

Jesus Christ, His Son

… And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich"

Because of what the Lord has done for us

… And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich"

Because of what the Lord has done for us

… Give thanks

We give thanks (give thanks)

We give thanks"  - Don Moen "Give Thanks"

Of course these take me to a much more modern song of "What He's Done" by Passion Conferences. 

The focus of thankfulness leaves us and puts it where it goes in Heaven between those who have gone on before us do 24/7 if time applied there.  It puts the focus back on Jesus.  We read in Revelation of where any crowns of righteousness are placed. Back with Jesus. We read in various places in the Bible where people both small and great bow before Jesus to give thanks.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB 

When we walk with the Lord

  In the light of His Word,

What a glory He sheds on our way;

  While we do His good will,

  He abides with us still,

And with all who will trust and obey.

  Trust and obey,

For there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus,

  But to trust and obey.

Look at the rest of this Hymn...

"Not a shadow can rise,

  Not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

  Not a doubt or a fear,

  Not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear,

  Not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

  Not a grief or a loss,

  Not a frown or a cross,

But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove

  The delights of His love,

Until all on the altar we lay;

  For the favor He shows,

  And the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet

  We will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

  What He says we will do;

  Where He sends, we will go,

Never fear, only trust and obey.Not a shadow can rise,

  Not a cloud in the skies,

But His smile quickly drives it away;

  Not a doubt or a fear,

  Not a sigh or a tear,

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear,

  Not a sorrow we share,

But our toil He doth richly repay;

  Not a grief or a loss,

  Not a frown or a cross,

But is blest if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove

  The delights of His love,

Until all on the altar we lay;

  For the favor He shows,

  And the joy He bestows,

Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet

  We will sit at His feet,

Or we’ll walk by His side in the way;

  What He says we will do;

  Where He sends, we will go,

Never fear, only trust and obey." 

Most of the time in Church someone chooses lines of the song to sing rather than all of them.  But just take a look at all of them!

Almost takes you along a ride to other hymns. "What a friend we have in Jesus...all our sins and griefs to bear...what a privilege to carry every thing to the Lord in prayer".

Would be a great medley to mix these together.  

We often get sucked and suckered into looking for happiness in the things of this world.  We willingly place our passion and joy with things, with success, with events, with any and everything else other than solely with Jesus and what we ought to be doing with and for Him.

We inevitably are disappointed. 

We inevitably find that it doesn't last. That success was short lived.  That bonus didn't last. That team hits a losing streak. That diet didn't work as seen on TV or as that marketing person promised it would do.  We try, we fail, we either keep on trying or we get disillusioned by the experience or try something new. 

Plans and programs the world has to offer always will fail.  If any were truly successful they would have been discovered long ago and in fact we all would still be doing them.  The only place to look for peace and contentment is in a right relationship with Jesus.  It's being thankful even if people are rude, crude, cruel and nasty with us.  Even if we are in our own barren wasteland feeling like we are in our own 40 years in the desert. Being thankful and trusting in God is what Israel wasn't doing in both their 40 year stints in the desert.

To borrow a line from a song "we are looking for love in all the wrong places looking for love in too may faces."

We look everywhere but in where it's ever going to be true.  We are all tempted to look for our solutions and the world's solutions before seeking God's. 

How thankful are you?

How grateful are you?

How much time do you spend with Jesus at His feet rather than in searching for what you are seeking for in this world?

Adoration Confession Thanksgiving Supplication ACTS.

When we are feeling out of sorts is it HALT?  

Are we Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired that is leading us away from being thankful and trusting in God?  

To trust and obey is on us.

To be thankful is also on us.

There's no other way to be happy in Jesus.