Checklist

"I will exalt you, O LORD. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 30:1a, Psalm 30:12b

I do well with lists when it comes to fulfilling my responsibilities. I love to check it off and get it done. Whenever the Bible can give me a list, I find it easier to understand how I am supposed to respond. In Psalm 30, David starts and finishes with praising and thanking God. In between verses 1a and 12b, I am convinced the list of reasons David gives to praise God and be thankful can help us to be more grateful as we check off the list in our own lives.

I’ll make it into a checklist for us so we can find it easier to understand how we turn the Word of God, from information to action. The following boxes are David’s grateful points. Can you identify?

David thanks God for lifting him from the depths, prohibiting his enemies from gloating, healing him, saving him from death and hell, God not staying angry, God’s lifetime favor, rejoicing in the morning, security and being unshaken, giving him a firm foundation, hearing his cries for mercy, helping him, turning his wailing into dancing, ending his grieving, giving him joy, making his heart sing, being able to thank God forever.

If you can check off the overwhelming majority of these, you can join David in praising, thanking, and exalting God. I can relate to them all. Even recently I have experienced all these blessings.

But, if you want or need to stay low, feel bad, be sick, be ungrateful, feel insecure, bitter, helpless, without help, unable to dance, sing, be happy or move on….. you do that by choice.

Today I choose to join David exalting the Lord and thanking Him forever.

Really grateful right now,
Pastor Fred

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