Celebrate, Petition, Share

Psalm 105:1-4: "Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice. Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always."


Here is the Biblical formula for the Christian:


First, thank the Lord! How often do we reflect upon the good things that the LORD has given to us? We all struggle with different burdens in life; but still, we can all find things for which we can be thankful, if we look hard enough. God is a giver of good things to His people. What we need to do is as the song rightfully suggests, "count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the LORD has done." Making a conscious decision to reorient our thinking to being grateful will help us break free from the bitterness and negativity that can creep into our lives, if we dwell upon the misfortunes that come our way.


We are also called to "call upon the name of the Lord (as we) look to the LORD and His strength." God has made us as dependent creatures. In no way can we live life as beings independent of the Lord's help and His deliverance. How often have we missed the blessings of the LORD simply because we failed to petition Him? Certainly, James tells us that we "do not have, because (we) do not ask" (James 4:2). Calling upon the Lord intimates that a person is not able in and of himself to solve all of life's situations. By approaching the throne of God, we acknowledge that we are desperately in need of His Sovereign involvement in every facet of our lives. Our petitions also remind us of our need ever to walk in a spirit of humility and awe in the One who holds everything together (Colossians 1:17). It is God alone who sustains all things, and He is to be worshipped exclusively and affectionately. To have a true reverence for the Lord, we must agree with the words found in Job: "The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life . . . . If it were His intention and he withdrew His Spirit and breath, all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust" (Job 33:4; 34:14-15). Without the LORD, we are dust.


When we are able to appreciate and celebrate the LORD with thanksgiving for His mighty works in our lives and when we recognize our utter dependence upon Him, then we are ready to share these truths with others. Evangelism is not come concocted coercion that we do because we feel obligated to appease the Lord; rather, true evangelism is shared from the overabundance of joy, thanksgiving, and marvel at our glorious Lord for who He is and what He has done for us. When we have been truly transformed by the Lord, we cannot help but share with others . . . it just seems to burst forth from us. We are not unlike the stones that if given the opportunity, would cry out, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" (see Luke 19:37-40).

For those of us who have surrendered ourselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, let us faithfully follow the Lord in a spirit of thanksgiving, joy, and praise. Let us put our complete faith in His provision for us in all areas of our lives. And let the transforming power of the Holy Spirit burst forth from us so that others will take note. This is the way for the true believer in Christ to live.