Giving Thanks to the Lord Monday, 22 January 2007
i'm a musician, so i'm greatly influenced by songs which i listen to. There's this song called "Forever" by Chris Tomlin which goes like this:
Give thanks to the Lord, my God, my King
His love endures forever!
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever!
Sing praise, sing praise!
Forever God is faithful, forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us, forever...
This song reminds us of the faithfulness and unchanging character of God, and it is so real to me in my life, as i recall what He has done and is still doing in me, with me and through me.
Recently i have been "bogged down" by a lot of things and commitments, and only when the people around me notice the difference in me and tell me about it, then i realise it myself. Personally i really felt that God intentionally arranged for people to care for me and pray with me and for me, and i see His hand at work, and i realise that He cares for me. Not that i do not know that already, but i think it's easy to forget such things when we are going through good times. Only when we go through difficult times do we fall at the feet of God and seek His counsel and help. That is why i hope that from now on i can make it a point to really appreciate the goodness and blessings that God has put in my life and the lives of people around me, and give thanks in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:18), be it good or not so good.
i give thanks for a supportive family, parents who raised me up in the ways of the Lord, and a brother who affirms, encourages and cares for me. i really feel that my family members have been very tolerant of me and my disrespectful ways, my tantrums and my childishness, and that is something which i cannot take for granted. God has really blessed me with this family, and time and again i must give thanks to Him and appreciate my family members for who they are and what they have done and sacrificed for me.
i give thanks for close and supportive friends, brothers and sisters-in-Christ who grew up with me since we were 4-year-old kids in the church Sunday school. These friends are really placed in my life by God, and we have seen one another grow up, become mature, make mistakes, go through all the different phases of life, and we have stuck together through everything. Even though we know one another's weaknesses and have seen many letdowns, mistakes made, we still love one another as brothers and sisters, and this is really very precious to anyone, to have friends who accept you for who you are.
i give thanks for the Engine crusaders, for this group of fervent and passionate Christians who share the vision of reaching out to the lost in campus. i have absolutely no regrets participating and joining crusade in their activities, as it really gives me a sense of purpose in my 4 years in campus, that i'm doing something for God, and fulfilling His Great Commission. i have also received much training in various aspects, and i would say that this phase is definitely a turning point in my life. i am humbled by the people around me, and i have learnt so much from them. i have definitely matured a lot in terms of my walk with God and the way i think during these 1 and a half years alone. Even now i'm being stretched by God, but i know that this is so that i can grow in Him, and if i do not step out of my comfort zone, i will not learn much. In crusade, i really learn how to put what i already know into practice, and to dare to do new things and learn from my experiences.
Enough about me, i realised that there are a lot of "i"s in the paragraphs above. It's time to focus on God, and on His character and works. God has given me so much in my life, that the only way i can repay Him is to give myself to Him, to be used by Him, to be moulded into the person whom God wants me to be. All these may sound cliched, but unless we personally experience God's presence and work in our lives, we will not fully understand and appreciate what those words mean.
Thanks be to God!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
His love endures forever.
To Him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
With a mighty hand and outstretched arm,
His love endures forever.
To the One who remembered us in our low estate,
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of Heaven,
His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1, 4, 12, 23, 26
giving thanks at 20:27 :)
david chow en yuan