(Robb Brunansky – The Cripplegate) Everyone struggles to maintain a disposition of gratitude for any length of time. We know what it’s like to feel like we want just one more thing in our lives.
The Israelites exemplified this attitude of discontentment. God had delivered them from their bondage in Egypt, but they soon complained about their circumstances. Israel’s bad example led Paul to warn us not to be like them (1 Corinthians 10:10). One of Israel’s fatal sins was their lack of gratitude to God for His mercy.
In every situation, whether good or bad, we are to give thanks to God. Yet, as much as Christians might want to consistently exemplify gratefulness, we often find ourselves acting just like the Israelites, complaining rather than giving thanks.
Thanksgiving is a good reminder that we should always be thankful. So, how can we move from an attitude of discontent to one of thankfulness? The answer is an understanding of the foundation for gratitude, which is found in Psalm 97. At the end of this passage, the psalmist reminds us to be thankful to God following a list of truths for consideration to be glad in the Lord. There are four truths about our Lord in this psalm, giving believers a foundation for thanksgiving.
First, to build a foundation of gratitude, we must notice the Lord’s sovereign rule (verses 1-3).
In the first three verses, the psalmist highlights the Lord’s sovereign rule. For the Christian, this understanding is foundational for perpetual gratitude. In a world of changing rulers, unjust authorities, perversions of justice, violence, and oppression, the Lord Jesus Christ reigns supreme! If the Psalmist could write these truths before Christ’s coming, how much more might we say it with assurance after the Incarnation! Christ is reigning now as He has ever reigned and always will reign (1 Cor. 15:25).
The Psalmist, though, is looking even further to the Lord’s eternal reign. Christ’s sovereign rule has begun, but there is a greater dimension to it than we now see. One day, Jesus will rule alone as King, sovereignly administering His will. Jesus’ reign is a great hope now, reminding us He is triumphing over His enemies until He defeats death, and He will soon assume His rightful position as King over all forever.
Christ’s rule is a great cause for thanksgiving, but it becomes even more so when we contemplate its extent. This rule is not for the benefit of only one nation, but for all the remotest parts of the world! His sovereign rule is for the benefit of all races, nations, peoples, tribes, and tongues.
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