Sing and Make Melody - Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart

    This week let's think on a simple song of praise:

"Give Thanks With a Grateful Heart"

(written by Henry Smith, 1978)

Give thanks with a grateful heart;

Give thanks to the Holy One;

Give thanks because He's given

Jesus Christ, His Son.

(Repeat)

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 sick say, "I am whole",

Let the bound say, "I am free",

Because of what the Lord has done for us.

Give thanks (give thanks),

give thanks (give thanks),

give thanks!

    A simple song that reminds us of a vitally important part of our daily life - giving of thanks to the Lord.

    There are 33 verses throughout the Bible that include the term "give thanks." In Psalm 107 alone, it shows up 5 times in this way: "Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men." In every case, the thanks is directed to the Lord.

"Now let the weak say, "I am strong""

    Paul recounts his pleading three times to the Lord for a "thorn in the flesh" to be removed, in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Jesus answered Paul in this way, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

    How does Paul respond to this? "Therefore most gladly, I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak then am I strong." (NKJV)

    When we wholly lean on God in our physical troubles, He shows us His strength and upholds us and helps us. He makes us strong and able to endure!

"Let the poor say, "I am rich""

    James instructs us to not show partiality toward people. In Chapter 2, verse 5 he reminds, "Listen, my beloved brethren; has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom of heaven which He promised to those who love Him?"

"Let the sick say, "I am whole""

    Similar to the account of Paul and his physical ailment, we need to be able to look past the temporary and see the big picture. If you are a Christian, a child of God, you are whole. God has made you whole - spiritually. Your body may fail, but it is only a tent/jar/vessel for your soul. Focus on keeping your soul healthy and whole by reading, studying, and applying God's word and being thankful to Him for the hope we have through Jesus (2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10)!

"Let the bound say, "I am free""

    "For you are all sons of God though faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26-29) This neutralizes/does away with every "class" the world has ever created to categorize/separate people - religious, social, and gender. God sees His children. He has told us to see fellow Christians as brothers and sisters. Equal. Joint heirs (Romans 8:16-17).

    All of these statements can be boldly declared because the Lord has provided us with strength (Ephesians 6:10-18), riches (Colossians 2:2-3, Ephesians 2:6-7), wholeness (1 Timothy 3:16-17, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, 3 John 2), and freedom (Acts 2:38, Romans 6, Galatians 5:22-23, "against such there is no law")!

"The LORD has done great things for us, and we are glad." 
(Psalm 126:3 NKJV)

    I encourage you to give thanks to the Lord this week - in abundance! He has blessed us with so much, let's show appreciation for it!

"The LORD is my strength and my shield;

my heart safely trusted in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart greatly rejoices,

and with my song I will praise Him."

(Psalm 28:7 NKJV)

    Fill your heart up with praise and thanksgiving and join in singing with understanding!

You can do it! So can I!! 

Link to hymn:

Sing And Make Melody - How Shall The Young Secure Their Hearts?

    The song I have selected this week asks a question: How Shall the  Young Secure Their Hearts? It is a teaching song (to us) as well as a declaration of the wondrous beauty of God's truth - the Bible!

How Shall The Young Secure Their Hearts?

(written by Isaac Watts in 1719)

How shall the young secure their hearts

And guard their lives from sin?

Thy word the choicest rules imparts

To keep the conscience clean,

To keep the conscience clean.

Tis, like the sun a heav'nly light

That guides us all the day,

And through the dangers of the night

A lamp to lead our way,

A lamp to lead our way.

The word is everlasting truth,

How pure is every page!

That holy book shall guide our youth

And well support our age,

And well support our age.

    This hymn is based on several passages found in Psalms 119. Look at these wonderful verses:

"How can a young man cleanse his way?

By taking heed according to Your word.

With my whole heart I have sought You;

Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!

For Your word I have hidden in my heart,

That I might not sin against You."

(Psalm 119:9-11 NKJV)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

(Psalm 119:105 NKJV)

"You are near, O LORD, and all Your commandments are truth.

Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old 

that You have founded them forever."

 (Psalm 119:151-152 NKJV)

    I encourage you today to make time to read the whole of Psalm 119. It is a wonderful psalm of joyful submission to God's word, and a song of depending on God and His faithfulness for help! Please read it!

    Consider the last verse of the hymn: 

God's word is everlasting truth, how pure is every page!
That holy book shall guide our youth and well support our age.

    1 Peter 1:25 states "the word of the Lord endures forever." In Psalm 119:89 the psalmist declares, "Forever, O LORD, Your word stands firm in heaven. Your faithfulness endures to all generations." All generations! We've already read verses that declare the benefits of seeking God in our youth and applying His instruction as we develop but we need to remember that we also have support in our older years; God does not forget us, His word does not fail us. His instruction grows in value and His teachings result in increasing wisdom, so we in turn can encourage a new generation to seek Him!

    Look at this picture of old age:

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

They are planted in the house of the Lord;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

They still bear fruit in old age;

they are ever full of sap and green,

to declare that the Lord is upright;

He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him."

(Psalm 92:12-15 NKJV)

    God is good and greatly to be praised!! Encourage the young to seek Him! Encourage the old to trust in Him! No matter your age, secure your heart to Him!! Only in Him do we have the Lamp and the Light that can guide our way! Please read Psalm 119 this week and sing this hymn with understanding!

You can do it! So can I!!