Week Verse Study
- Dawn Ferguson
- Nov 28, 2023
- 2 min read
1 Chronicles 16:34
34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
I. Give (v. 34)
Two of God's primary characteristics are celebrated in this verse: His goodness and His love. David said that God is good. What does that mean? It means God's essence and character are the epitome of goodness and righteousness. Because God is so good, we are to give thanks.
Why should we give thanks? Simply because we are God's creation, we should do nothing else and nothing less. We rejoice in God's goodness. We do this by giving thanks and by our worship. In the New Testament, the word for "thanks" gives us our words grace and eucharist. When we celebrate the Lord's Supper in remembrance of Jesus' shed blood and battered body, we give thanks. All of our existence and worship should revolve around giving thanks.
In addition, God's love endures forever. We experience His goodness because of His love that
Caused Him to create humanity
Involved Him in the affairs of His chosen people
Caused Him to provide redemption for us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son
Compelled Him to extend His presence to all His people through the Holy Spirit
Enables us to give thanks
The central response of God's people is to give thanks through prayer, worship, and daily living.
John 4 records the story of the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. In response to her question about the proper place to worship, Jesus replied, "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:24, NIV).
Thanksgiving, like just about every other religious holiday, has been commercialized, secularized, and watered-down by segments of society that have little or no concern for the real meaning of the holidays. Isn't it interesting that what used to be "holy days" have become "holidays"?
Feasting and football sells well in a secular world order, but are a far cry from the biblical intention of focusing on God as the recipient of our thanks. David helps us understand and recover the meaning of Thanksgiving by focusing our attention on the true purpose of the day - to remember and rejoice in the goodness and love of God.
Verse Study reminds that the need to become more aware of distractions and the need to seek the Word, the guidance and truth of the Lord is invaluable in this human existence. Lord I pray to quiet my mind and savor learning from you, finding renewed strength in what your Word teaches so I can stand firmly in this ever distractive life, staying centered on your Promises and Truth.
Amen
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