God’s Gifts to Us, Part Two
Psalm 50:23 starts with “He who offers the sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me,” and continues with “…and prepares the way that I may show him the salvation of the Lord.”
Here we see the second gift God has for us: the privilege of partnering with Him in bringing about solutions.
As we give thanks in and for difficulties, we open the way (maybe get out of the way) for Him to bring the resolution and results He’s planned and prepared. These may come right away, or they may not be visible until years later, as with Joseph in Egypt. Whether seen or unseen, God moves as we give thanks in faith for what is painful for us.
This means that the opposite may also be true: when we complain we block the way for God’s salvation. As 1 Peter 1:5 says about believers, “who through faith are shielded by God’s power….” As we trust we are protected, as we complain, we are not.
A third gift that is bestowed when we give thanks, is the privilege to be a powerful witness to those around us. Our unnatural, supernatural response to trouble puts us up on the stage of grace where we can do the dance of faith in front of all those around us. As we trust God we bring a focus on God’s good character in a way that words alone could never do.
Thus God gives us opportunity to join Him in the spread of the gospel, in opening people’s eyes to spiritual truth, and in drawing them to Himself. Are we joining Him?
