The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High” (Psalm 92:1).

The Most High God is Elyown in the Hebrew. It speaks of His loftiness and uniqueness. No one comes close to matching Him. No one ever surpasses Him. He is the LORD Most High. Therefore it is a good thing to give thanks unto Him and to sing praises to Him. Jim was a complainer. Though he claimed to know the Lord, he was often whining about many things. One day Larry his boss, who was a member of the same church Jim attended, overheard him explaining to a customer that it is essential to change the oil in the lawnmower if he expected maximum service. “This mower is way passed having additional oil put into it. You’ve got to check it often,” was the good advice of Jim the small engine mechanic. Later that afternoon when Jim was complaining about something again Larry his boss quietly said, “You know, Jim, you gave Mr. Ahrens very good advice about the oil. Now I want to give you some good advice. You are running low on praise, and it is just as important to you as oil is to that lawn mower. When you think of Who the Lord is and what He does for you, a little less grumbling and a lot more praise would be a good thing.” Jim had never thought about it like that before.

For today: How is your level of praise?

“Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous; for praise is comely for the upright” (Psalm 33:1).

The Psalmist writes of the greatness of the Lord and how He loves righteousness. How majestic is our Lord who looks from Heaven (33:14) and watches over those who love and fear Him (33:18). When we believers understand the great blessing that is ours in belonging to the Lord, then praise is the expected result. When the writer says that “Praise is comely,” he means that praise is a suitable, beautiful action. Many years ago as a very young pastor (did you catch that was “many years ago”?) I was invited to speak at one of the major conference facilities in Pennsylvania. The invitation was overwhelming to us. The problem was that the person who invited us failed to mention that dress was very casual because the activities would be outside in the snow. That was a rather major thing that should have been told to us. We showed up in dress clothes that we thought would be suitable for the occasion. Wrong! Did we ever feel out of place that day! On the other hand, praise to the Lord is always suitable for the believer.

For today: What are four or five things for which you will be praising the Lord today?

“I will sing unto the LORD, because He hath dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6).

One of my favorite holidays is a few days away. I love Thanksgiving. Of course this is not to be celebrated just once a year. However, it is a great time for believers to take inventory of the many things that the Lord does for us and Who He is to us. Trisha grew up in a home where abuse and abandonment were the rule of life. Fending for herself and her little sister, Tammy, these two little girls went without the basic necessities of life until the kind school nurse spotted their situation. Now three years later the girls have settled into their new home, where love and ample provision bless their lives. One night as Dad and Mom were kissing their newly adopted daughters good night, little Tammy said, “Thank you for adopting us. We didn’t have nothing when we were little. Now we have everything. I like it better with everything!” Mom and Dad held it in until they closed the bedroom door. Bursting into silent laughter, they looked at each other and whispered, “Didn’t have nothing…I like everything!” What a picture of the Lord and us, they concluded.

For today: What song have you been singing to the Lord today?

“And I will redeem you with a stretched out arm” (Exodus 6:6).

God is going to do amazing things to take His children out of the bondage of Egypt. He promises that His redemption will be with a stretched out arm. This speaks of God reaching out to His people. It is a reminder of His power and His closeness. He is not far away, and His power will deliberately reach to them. Pete was serving overseas in the army. His deployment would be a lengthy one. His family seemed so far away at times. One night while they were Skyping, his young wife said, “Honey, I just wish you weren’t thousands of miles from me tonight. I miss you so much.” They both cried and reminded each other of their love and devotion. Both eagerly waited for the day that he would come home. That night on his bed, Pete thanked the Lord for his salvation and for the fact that the Lord was not far from him or his beloved wife. “Father, Your stretched out arm has reached my wife and me. Thank you so very much, Lord,” he prayed.

For today: Have you thanked the Lord for His outstretched arm to you?

“Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25).

Paul writes to the church at Thessalonica sharing very specific commands, reminders, principles, and applications. Then he concludes the epistle by requesting that the folks remember to pray for them. This is a tender, thoughtful statement. Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day when believers will gather to worship the Lord. Your pastor will stand before the church family to share God’s Word and present it in a way that is understandable. He will then seek to help you by explaining the meaning and helping you to apply it. A group of pastors were traveling along one day when one shared with the group about the encouraging note he received from someone in the church. He relayed that the note said, “I am glad you came to us. I am glad you stay with us. I am glad you preach the truth to us. I am glad you are our pastor. Praying for you.” The other pastors chatted about the notes they receive, except for Pastor Dave. He sat silently looking out the window, half-thinking and half-praying as he silently whispered, “I wonder if anyone prays for me and the services?” It was a major question on his mind. Do you pray for your pastor and do you let him know of your prayers?

For today: When you pray for your pastor today, don’t keep it a secret. Tell him.