In this time of the year it is a good practice to pause, reflect, and express gratitude for all who God is and has done. This is commendable and should be the norm.
Being continually grateful is biblical and righteous. Often times we view gratitude as a summary blanket for all that has happened in our lives–it is how we start our prayers and how we end them.
But what I like about Psalm 105:1 is that it shows gratitude as the beginning of an ongoing journey.
“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the people.”
It is clear that gratitude is just the beginning. It is the fuel stop for the journey.
What I like in particular about the opening of this psalm is that it gives three action steps:
- Give thanks
- Call upon his name
- Tell of his works
It is clear, precise, and straight to the point.
May I encourage you this time of year to not stop with giving thanks, but to graduate to calling upon his name and telling of his works.
To call upon his name is to say, “Lord, I need you. You are my hope, my source of life, and I cannot live life without you.” It is more vulnerable than giving thanks, it is showing your need for God in every moment of life.
Tell of his works refers to your evangelism. It’s good to express gratitude to God, call upon Him for help, but if He is that valuable to your soul, He should be shared with those around you–those you love, those you hate, those you work with, those you work for. He deserves to be spoken of as God of all creation.
May we give thanks, call upon his name, and tell of his works this season. We are better for it and He is glorified in it.
With Jesus,
Anthony.