Inspired by . . . spontaneous praise
Inspired by . . . spontaneous praise
Focusing on Thanksgiving as a Lifestyle, not just a holiday.
I will give thanks to Him in song. Psalm 28:7
German pastor Martin Rinckart lived in Eilenburg, in Saxony during the Thirty Years’ War. During that time the city was overrun by the opposing army three times. The villagers were subject to overcrowding, disease, and famine among other horrors. In 1637 a severe plague hit the city. Rinckart was the only surviving pastor and performed more than 5000 funerals that year, including that of his wife.
Most of us are so far removed from anything remotely like the suffering Rinckart witnessed and endured. Some of us can relate to some of it, disease, loss, but the total package? Probably not. But try. Try to imagine being under the constant threat of war. Sickness, the gnawing of hunger in your belly. Loss, such great loss. For decades.
How would you think? how would you feel? about God?
In 1648 a series of peace treaties were signed that ended the war.
By then, this hymn was already being widely sung throughout the region, “Nun danket alle Gott,” Now Thank We All Our God:
Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.
This beautiful song of praise and thanksgiving was written by none other than Martin Rinckart.
A similar expression of gratitude is found in Exodus 15 when Moses bursts into a spontaneous song of praise after God delivered them from the hands of Pharaoh. We noted in a previous post that failing to thank God went hand in hand with forgetting God and worshiping idols. Here we see just the opposite. Focusing on what God has done and praising Him leads naturally to worshiping Him. This passage also shows that there's a strong connection between praising and thanking God.
Gratitude is a characteristic of those who love God.
As believer’s we have the opportunity to bear witness to a loving and faithful God.
An “attitude of gratitude” can be a powerful witness for Christ in an increasing ungrateful world.
Blessings,
PS Don’t forget to check out my Facebook page for daily inspirations on cultivating a grateful heart! I would love for you to join the discussion!
Note: My inspiration for this series comes from the November 2009 issue of Today in the Word. A ministry of Moody Bible Institute.
#monthofthanks
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