”Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
1 Chronicles 16:34New International Version (NIV)
1 Chronicles 16:34 Devotional
Give Thanks to the Lord
1 Chronicles 16:34 exhorts you and me to give thanks to the Lord. And we do this through prayer, worship, and daily living, based on the fact that God is good to us and His love for us endures forever.
Therefore, just as David thanked God for His goodness and love, you too are to thank God for the same. Meaning that your thanksgiving needs to consider and focus on two things: God’s goodness and love. These are actually God’s primary attributes (characteristics).
God is good and loving
Nevertheless, our thanksgiving shouldn’t be based on how we feel, it should be based on who God is. And God is good and loving all the time.
In fact, in all, if not most of the Christian meetings I have attended, the defacto greeting is: “God is good”. Then the attendees respond: “All the time”. And the leader/speaker adds: “And all the time”, to which the attendees reply: “God is good, and that’s His nature wow!”
Psalm 103
Additionally, in Psalm 103:2, the Psalmist went: “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits”. And he went on to list some of the benefits that he had experienced in verses 3 to 5. They included: forgiveness, healing from all his diseases, redemption, the crown of love and compassion, and good things that satisfied his desires, thus, renewing his youth like the eagle.
Consequently, you can still give thanks to God based on His other attributes. They are a number.
The Ark of the Covenant
Therefore, 1 Chronicles 16 records when the ark of the covenant was placed inside the tent that David had pitched for it. This was the place where God had prescribed atonement to be made.
Consequently, without the ark, the Israelites would not have been able to make atonement and consequently enjoy the presence of the Lord. Remember, the ark of the covenant represented God’s presence. And it was normally carried by the priests who went ahead of God’s people whenever they were moving locations.
This, therefore, meant that where the ark was placed (located) was a testimony of God’s enduring love. That is His covenant-keeping love, which is His faithfulness in keeping the promises He makes to His people.
Restoration
Therefore, in 1 Chronicles 16, God drew His people back to Himself. He met them with grace and love and accepted their sacrifices.
Consequently, the atonement wasn’t for God. It was for His people, who seemed to care less about the location of the ark. For God had once again shown Himself to be gracious to them, in spite of their years of rebellion.
Therefore, when you recount His wonderful deeds in your life, the greatest being that He gave His only begotten Son for your salvation, you will have 10,000 reasons to be thankful. God is your everlasting (great) giver, therefore, thankfulness (through worship) should be your lifestyle.
Prayer/Blessing
Lord, I thank you for Your goodness and enduring love in my life. Many are Your wonderful deeds. I thank You in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
May you thank God today for His goodness and enduring love. Amen.
Daily Bible Reading
Isaiah 15-21 (see How to Read the Bible in One Year or How to Read the Bible (for Beginners))
