November 27 – Gratitude Remembers (Psalm 105:1-7)

“Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced.”(Psalm 105:5)

IN WORD:
Many people are waiting to be thankful until they have something to be thankful for. It’s a flaw of fallen humanity. We are always looking forward to what we want and always aware of what we don’t have. For most of us, the glass is always half empty — at least.
What is our remedy? It’s given often in Scripture. We are to be “rememberers.” God urges us to rehearse His past mercies intentionally and actively. Whenever we begin to focus on what we are lacking, we’re to redirect our focus to what we’ve been given. The change in attitude that will result is remarkable. Joy begins to resurface and faith gets stronger.
That’s what Psalm 105 is all about. It is a brief summary of history from the call of Abraham to the victories of David. It reminded Israel’s worshipers that God began a great plan with His people and would certainly continue it. It encouraged them to count the miracles He had done. It helped them think of God as their Provider, Deliverer, Protector, Strength, Warrior, and more — just in case they had forgotten, as fallen human beings are prone to do. It stirred up a sense of destiny and a confidence in God’s ability to bring them through. It created the context for true worship.

IN DEED:
Don’t we need such reminders? We easily forget God’s providence, salvation, and love. We fear that He might not protect us this time, or that He might not hear our prayer this time, or that He might abandon His plan for us. An intentional memory of His works will help us dispense with those lies. It will cultivate all the things we need to believe in Him and worship Him again.
Try making a list of all the things you are thankful for. Remember God’s past mercies and write them down. Try composing your own psalm of remembrance. Then read over these things often. Set them to music if it helps. Let your mind be saturated with the goodness of God, and you’ll be amazed at how the goodness of God becomes real.

“Gratitude is born in hearts that take time to count up past mercies.” -Charles Edward Jefferson-