For today's meditation, we will be looking at Psalm 103:1-5. Psalm 103 is one of my favorite Psalms among many. Psalm 103:1-5 gives us 5 things to be thankful and it is an excellent reminder as we approach Thanksgiving.

The first thing we are exhorted is to praise the Lord. Our hearts should always abound with thanksgiving and praises to the Lord. The Bible says:

"Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name" (Heb. 13:15).

The second exhortation is that we should not forget all His benefits toward us. By nature, we are a forgetful people. But that ought not to be so. The Bible says:

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name" (Psalm 100:4).

Than we are given five things to be thankful for in verse 3-5.

1. We are to be thankful for the forgiveness we have in Christ.

That is the greatest blessing. David cries out:

"Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Psalm 32:1-2).

2. We are to be thankful for good health.

Good health is a blessing for God and we should never take our health for granted. God does not guarantee healing every time we get sick; but when we do get sick and recover, it is because God has healed us. Sometimes God lets us get sick for God can even use sickness for our good and for our sanctification. God works through medicine and doctors to heal us.

"O Lord my God, I cried out to You, and You healed me" (Psalm 30:2).

3. We are to be thankful for God redeeming our life from destruction.

Many times we wander astray like lost sheep and like the prodigal son. But Christ is the Good Shepherd of the sheep (John 10:11) and He cares for each of His sheep and will seek out His sheep till He finds it. Christ cares for each of His sheep not only as a group but also individually. Each of Christ's sheep is very precious in His sight.

"Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses" (Psalm 107:13).

4. We are to be thankful for God's lovingkindess and tender mercies.

God's mercies are great. God does not give us what we deserve. His grace is unmerited and undeserved. The Bible says:

"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust" (Psalm 103:8-14).

5. We are to be thankful for God's provision.

We need to be thankful for God's providing for us all that we need such as food, clothing, and housing.

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want" (Psalm 23:1).

Indeed God is very faithful and that is a cause for thanksgiving. Even "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself" (2 Tim. 2:13). His mercies are new every morning and great is His Faithfulness.

"Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lam. 3:22-23).

From the editor of www.georgemuller.org

Today's meditation is Psalm 1. In Psalm 1 we are exhorted not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly. We are not to be conformed to this world (Rom. 12:2). But we are to be conformed to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:29). We learn that we should delight in the law of the Lord and we should meditate in it day and night.

The Lord spoke to Joshua saying:

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success" (Josh. 1:8).

God promises that when we meditate in His word, we shall bear fruit. Jesus said:

"If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples" (John 15:7-8).

Are you abiding in Christ and in His word? Are you meditating in His word? If not, start today. Don't delay. Start first thing in the morning to mediate in His word and throughout the day. And than you will find His peace that passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7).

From the editor of www.georgemuller.org