The famous 19th-century preacher, Charles Spurgeon, once said, “We are too prone to engrave our trials in marble and write our blessings in sand.” This Thursday, November 22, we get to celebrate a day declared as “Thanksgiving.” Of all the special days of the year, Thanksgiving is in the top three of my favorites (right behind Easter and Christmas). As we do a mental review of our lives, it’s easy to obsess and complain about what we don’t like. Karen Carpenter (a singer back in the 1970s) sang a hit song entitled, “Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down.” Life’s trials can feel like “spiritual gravity”—trying to keep us pressed down and feeling defeated. And then comes the Word of God! If you take some time in Psalms, you quickly discover how God’s people rose above the “gravity” of inconsistencies and the seeming unfairness of life. They made a choice, saying, “I will praise the Lord and be grateful!” Psalm 107 begins the last “book” of Psalms (which is divided into five books). This last section is all about praising the Lord, the true hero of life, who gives us himself and provides us with all we need.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1).

Many of the previous psalms express lament and grief—expressions of honest hearts. However, this fifth and last section, Psalms 107 to 150, ascends into a magnificent crescendo of worship. Here’s a reminder: Even though we go through hard times, in the end we can rise above our problems and find our joy in the Lord. We give thanks to our Lord because of His love which endures forever. This Hebrew word love describes God’s never-ending riches of His daily mercy and kindness. If you woke up today and realized that the Lord is in your life, you have reason for thanks-giving! So, when tempted to “stay down,” hold your tongue, and instead, praise the Lord for His amazing grace. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor Mark Boucher