No Matter What

Happy Tuesday Everyone!

Here at The Newlywed Lefebvre’s blog, Tuesdays are for thanking Jesus, and there just isn’t a better month for that ‘theme’ than November – Thanksgiving time!

As I’m reading (straight through) the Bible, I’m noticing that the book of Psalms is a lot more than what I had at first envisioned – a book of (boring) poetry and songs and flowery language. Quite the opposite, actually. As I read the book (actually five separate books, combined into one), I’m realizing that David (and the other authors of the psalms) had a heckuvalot in common with me and the rest of us average joes (janes?)!

Psalms are beautiful prayers; cries out to God in anguish, in joy, in hope, in fear, in sorrow; deep shouts of praise and thanks! Just open your Bible to the middle and I’m almost certain one of the psalms you come upon will speak to your heart.

Today, we will look at two psalms that denote thankfulness – perfect for Thank You Jesus Tuesday and for this time of year:

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5

“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.” Psalm 107:21-22

It is so easy to thank God when things are going well. When everything is moving along and life is hunky-dory, we are almost quick to forget to thank Him for His goodness. But the question is how on earth do you thank Him when things are NOT going well? How do you praise God in the midst of suffering?

You thank God during times of trouble because you remember the cross. Hebrews 4, verses 15 and 16 say:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.  Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

We can thank Him during our times of need and weakness because He is not some lofty god who rules from on high, apart from his creation – He came to earth in human form and lived a human life, ending with His suffering on the cross as the one and only sacrifice for our sins.

We can thank Him at all times because “…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

No matter what – I will praise Him in this storm and in the sunshine that follows.

So today, as I sit here with a yucky sinus infection, and my sweet Mama Dee is in a brace and awaiting orthopedic surgery for her broken patella, I am thanking my Savior for the beautiful life He blessed me with, and for the gift that is my grandmother. As we await His beautiful promise of our precious Jonah Elizabeth, I thank Him that He not only knows us by name – but gave such a beautiful name to our future daughter.

What storm are you waiting in today, and how can you be thankful in its midst?