Thank God for Who He is ∙

Thank God for Who He is ∙

Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth! Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.- Psalms 66:1-2

Psalms 95:1-7

 1 Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

 2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

 3 For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods.

 4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains.

 5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.

 6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,

 7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care. If only you would listen to his voice today!

Paper greeting cards have a long and delightful history. Down through the decades, they have been filled with thousands of sentiments. It seems as though there is a sentiment for almost every occasion: weddings, birthdays, holidays, illness, friendship, just saying “thank you,” or “I miss you.” Perhaps one sentiment stands out above the rest, “Thanks just for being you.” It speaks volumes in only one short sentence. It draws attention to the fact that recipient is loved and appreciated for who they are and not for what they do.

When it comes to the Father, how can we say “Thank You” just for being You? The Scriptures are full of information about Who and What the Father is like. Some statements focus on His divine attributes: holy, righteous, good, all-knowing, all-powerful, always present, eternal, etc. Others center on His personality. He is kind and thoughtful. He is loyal and dependable. He makes an excellent protector and friend. He is wise, merciful, gentle, and magnanimous.

We thank the Father by simply contemplating upon His attributes or personality. We reflect upon the beautiful and delightful person that He is. We are free to talk to Him as a person. We are encouraged to praise Him and worship Him for what He is like.

Some examples.

1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

Thank you, Father, for being good and faithful. Thank You that Your love for me will never end no matter what.

Psalms 8:3-5

 3 When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers – the moon and the stars you set in place –

 4 what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?

 5 Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor.

David contemplates the marvels of the created universe. He can only consider what he sees with his naked eye. He recognizes that for an all-powerful Father God, the creation in all of its complexity and detail was utterly effortless. The formation of stars and the moon and placing them in just the location to function as they do were mere finger work for the Father God. David is awestruck just thinking about it.

Even so, an even more remarkable realization leaves him mesmerized. The Father, Who created all things in the universe, made one creature that was a reflection of Himself. The complexity of humankind mirrors in some small way the Creator God Himself. There are numerous similarities, but there are also immense differences that separate Him from us. He formed us from the dust of the earth. We alone are made in His image. Because of this, and this alone, each human life has significance, value, and worth. Our self-worth is derived from the wonder and excellence of the Father Who created us.

The Father is high and lifted up above all. His greatness trickles down to His creation and gives us value. The works of great artists like Rembrandt, da Vinci, or Michelangelo reflect their own brilliance and talent. We are the Father’s works of art on Planet Earth (Ephesians 2:10). He imbues each of us with a tiny bit, an inkling of Himself. It is as though He moves throughout the Earth and leaves behind His footprints. We are His very footprints of the Father in the timeline of history.

REFLECT & PRAY

The Father loves us just as we are. In return, we are to love Him just as He is.

Father thank You for being Who and What You are. Thank You that You love each child of the King individually and personally. Thank You for allowing us to love You back. May we praise and honor You from the depths of our hearts and soul

INSIGHT

Regrettably, in the world of the 21st century, so much of humanity is caught up in their own self-importance. They have a sense of entitlement, or even worse, an ungrateful attitude of “You owe me!” Appreciation and thankfulness are sorely absent. The Father is merely taken for granted or completely ignored.

Yet there are many kind, loving, generous, and helpful people present almost everywhere. How often do you recognize the kindness and thoughtfulness of others and make a special effort to acknowledge them and thank them for it? In difficult times, it is easy to give in to grouchiness, despair, and emotional and social distancing.

How often do we go out of our way to recognize the kindness and thoughtfulness of our Father God? Do we maintain grateful and thankful hearts just because of Who He is? David calls each child of the King to bow down before Him and love and adore Him.

Psalms 95:1-7

 1 Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

 2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him.

 6 Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the LORD our maker,

 7 for he is our God. We are the people he watches over, the flock under his care.

The Father is the firm and stable rock of our foundation. As such, He provides certainty, confidence, and permanence. Nothing can ever remove the strong and permanent love bond and kindness for His children.

The Father is the absolute authority in the universe. Final decisions and judgments rest in His hands and His hands alone. He is a great and awesome King and far above the man-made idols and gods of human invention and imagination. He is the one and only living God.

Psalms 66:3-5

 3 Say to God, How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.

 4 Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.

 5 Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!

His name is wonderful; His name is wonderful

His name is wonderful; Jesus my Lord

He is the mighty King; Master of everything

Bow down before Him; Love and adore Him

His name is wonderful; Jesus my Lord

He’s the great Shepherd; The Rock of all ages; Almighty God is He

Bow down before Him; Love and adore Him

His name is wonderful; Jesus my Lord

He is the mighty King; Master of everything

His name is wonderful; Jesus my Lord.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 4-19-2

© Dr. H 2022