Just about to wrap up the 7 weeks of thankfulness but I can only hope that by now it has created a desire in you to live a life filled with thankfulness and of commitment to the Lord.
In the book of Daniel there are several incidences where the King stopped all that he was doing to give thanks to Daniel’s God, the true God. It leads to me ask if my relationship with the Lord causes those around me to praise God – do they see God working in my life in such a tangible way they are thankful?
“Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Their God has sent his angel and saved his servants from the fire! These three men trusted their God and refused to obey my command. They were willing to die instead of serving or worshiping any other god. 29 So I now make this law: Anyone from any nation or language group who says anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will be cut into pieces, and their house will be destroyed until it is a pile of dirt and ashes. No other god can save his people like this.” 30 Then the king gave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego more important jobs in the province of Babylon.” Daniel 3:28-30
The 3 Hebrew young men had refused to worship an idol made of gold and were thrown into a firery furnace. God saved them and the verses above are the king’s reaction to what he saw God do. The king made a law that said no one would be able to speak against their God. He saw the power of God at work in their lives and he gave praise to God. What he didn’t realize is that you can’t legislate a lifestyle of righteousness & morality. It comes from relationship.
I have to tell you that I was ready to get up this morning and share a thought on “unplugging”. Not unplugging from our relationship with the Lord but just unplugging from things that drain us. And then I was going to tell you that I would be unplugging from the morning devotional and blog for the next week. I wanted the opportunity to sleep in and get some good rest. Yep, I was going to take time off but as I was trying to word my thoughts correctly, I kept hearing verses like “don’t get weary in doing well” and the “joy of the Lord is your strength”. Then there was “those who wait on the Lord have their strength renewed” and finally
“Don’t worry—I am with you. Don’t be afraid—I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. I will support you with my right hand that brings victory.” Isaiah 41:10 ERV
Once again I found my strength renewed because my strength doesn’t come from the amount of sleep I receive each night it comes from the Lord God who empowers me for each day and from the joy I find in Him and doing what He has called me to do. Being a Christ following person is a full time service and not just a recreational use.
As we come to the end of the daily teachings on Thanksgiving, I ask you this – does your lifestyle lead others to praise your heavenly Father? Do the people around you want to have a relationship with God because they can see how wonderful He is?
We’re here to be a light to the world so let others see Jesus in you.