From
Gratitude to Thanksgiving
My tongue will proclaim your
righteousness, your praises all day long.
Psalm 35:28
Worship at Trinity Assembly is always
sweet, and today was no exception. God had been given permission to
move, and He was taking full advantage of the attitude of worship.
With voices united in praise the congregation’s anthem rose. And in
a moment orchestrated by the Holy Spirit, God overflowed through one
of the worship team…
“There is liberty in Jesus, yes
liberty! There is freedom in Jesus, yes freedom!” The praise
emanating from Dwight was otherworldly, pure, almost surreal. He
quite literally sang to God the music of his soul. Birthed in the
depths of his spirit, his soul was given wings through his voice. It
resonated throughout the sanctuary, and was infectious! The entire
congregation enjoined his praises! “Thank You, Jesus! Thank You,
Jesus! Thank You, Jesus, for setting us free!”
Dwight sang communal praises to the
King as each person’s voice added to the harmony, “Ohhh, we bless
You, Lord! We bless You, Jesus!” In one moment of perfect unity
their praises were ushered into the presence of the Lord. Amens and
hallelujahs reverberated throughout the sanctuary. The song
continued, their unconstrained thanksgiving rising to meet the
Father’s approval. Yes, worship at Trinity Assembly was sweet.
†
We sometimes live vicariously through
others, grateful they have given perfect pitch to our off-key
singing; or in those moments they’ve given voice to our unspoken
thoughts. There is nothing wrong with experiencing joy and closeness
to God through the gifts and gratitude of others…as long as we
don’t let it end there.
In one of his sermons, Dr. David
Jeremiah said, “I doubt there is anyone here who doesn’t have a
spirit of gratitude. But gratitude is not thanksgiving until it is
expressed.”
To leave unuttered praise in our hearts
is like appreciating a wonderful meal without sending our compliments
to the Chef, because we think he already knows he’s a good cook,
right?
Recognizing God’s blessing in our
lives is only half the matter. For if we fail to utter praises for
the things God has done we will eventually find ourselves fostering a
spirit of entitlement.
God is worthy of our praise,
praise He should hear from our lips.
Prayer
“May the gratitude of my
heart never go unuttered, Lord Jesus, because You alone are worthy of
my praise! Amen.”
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