GRATITUDE: #3 Gratitude for What GOD Has

By Dr. Gilbert W. Stafford
Scripture: Psalm 136

MIRACLE MEAT 

Stanley and Marion Hoffman as missionaries in the bush country of Zambia in Africa have quite a story to tell. Since the country is so inaccessible to travelers, they had few visitors. One day a runner came with the message that some missionary friends were planning to arrive the next day and would be bringing friends from the United States. While the Hoffman’s were always glad to have visitors, they were a bit troubled that they had little more than beans to serve their visitors. Since hunting season was over, fresh meat was not an option. And given the fact that they didn’t have electricity all day, they couldn’t keep meat frozen. They could buy it in the village, but since only old cows were butchered, the meat was always tough. What should they do for the soon to arrive visitors?

Marion and her helper in the house prayed about the matter. Just recently Marion had read the Bible story about the ravens supplying Elijah with food. The two women believed, therefore, that God could supply them with meat, though they knew not how. They prayed to that end.

In mid-afternoon, Stan, in his office, heard Marion calling excitedly from the house for him. He rushed to the door to see what was happening. Marion and her helper were standing on the veranda in front of the kitchen door. Just below them on the lawn was a bushbuck, an African antelope. A dog that they had never seen before was behind the bushbuck barking and nipping at its heels. The bushbuck did not move but continued looking at Marion. Walking over to the animal, Stan noticed blood trickling down the hind legs where the dog had bitten them. When Stan grabbed the bushbuck around the neck, the dog ran off into the bush. The bushbuck made no effort to bolt away. “Praise the Lord!” Marion cried out, “He has provided the meat for us.”

Stan butchered the animal and the following day their company ate game meat, or as Marion called it, “miracle meat.” They ate with glad and grateful hearts that which the Lord had provided.1

Our God makes such wonderful and glorious provisions for us, doesn’t he? We can be grateful for what he has for us.

“O GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD” 

One of my favorite psalms is the 136th that begins: “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. 2>O give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. 3>O give thanks to the LORD of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever.”2

Each of the 26 verses of the psalm has the refrain, “for his steadfast love endures forever.” No doubt this refrain was used as a response in temple worship.

The psalm is divided into several sections. The introduction, which I have just read, declares that it is good to give thanks to the Lord. The rest of the psalm spells out why it is good to do this. The first part after the introduction (verses 4-9) rejoices in the fact that God is the creator of the world. Verse 4 refers to God “who alone does great wonders.” This is the first reason we should give thanks. The second part (verses 10-22) rejoices in God’s redemptive work of delivering the people of Israel from Egyptian bondage and settling them in the Promised Land. It ends with the psalmist rejoicing in verses 21 and 22 that God gave them “land as a heritage.” This is the second reason we should give thanks. The third part of the psalm (verses 23-26) rejoices in the fact that God sustains his people. It ends with the declaration that God provides us with food. This is the third reason we should give thanks.

And then, the final verse of the psalm summarizes the purpose of the whole psalm when it says, “O give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

According to this psalm, God has the power to create worlds; he has the grace to redeem us from bondage and to settle us in a good land; he has the love to sustain us throughout life.

Let’s consider these three gifts.

THE GIFT OF CREATIVE POWER 

First, the gift of creative power. The God who has the power to create worlds also has the power to create new circumstances for our lives. He has the power to create out of the shambles of our lives something of beauty, and to bring order out of our chaos. He has the power to create a kind of new world for us.

I met a man in Kansas last July who had been afraid of his shadow. His life was withdrawn and full of fear and uncertainty, but God did something miraculous for him. He created a man of confidence, even to the point that he was able to give a talk to his church. When he talked with me, he was hoping for more opportunities to tell what the Lord had done for him. Before I heard his story I had noticed him sitting in the congregation, second pew from the front. He impressed me as a man of great spiritual maturity. I was amazed when after the service he initiated a conversation with me and I learned that he was a new babe in Christ. From all accounts both from him and from those who have known him for some time, his life had been recreated by the creative power of God. That same creative power is available to all of us. “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.”

THE GIFT OF REDEEMING GRACE 

Second is the gift of redeeming grace. The God who delivered the children of Israel out of the cruel grip of Pharaoh’s power, and settled them in a “land flowing with milk and honey,” is the same God who in Christ redeems us from Satan’s destructive grip and settles us in the rich land of his grace. That is what happened to Saul of Tarsus who was so completely transformed that his name was changed to Paul. This name change indicated that he was no longer the wicked man he used to be. Because of the redeeming grace of Jesus Christ he had a brand new identity. The formerly abusive Saul was now Paul the ambassador of Christ’s redeeming love. By the grace of God he found himself in the rich spiritual land of Christ’s victorious and protective grace. He testified about it in Romans 8:38 where he says: “For I am convinced that neither death, no life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor power, 39>nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Paul had been redeemed from Satan’s grip and brought into the good land of Christ where he lived in peace and security from any and every possible enemy that has the power to destroy our souls. That, my listening friend, is what God has for all of us. He has redeeming grace that can deliver you and me out of any spiritual bondage in which we find ourselves and bring us into a blessed spiritual land. “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.”

THE GIFT OF SUSTAINING LOVE 
Third is the gift of sustaining love. In verses 23-25 three blessings are mentioned: he “remembered us in our low estate”; he “rescued us from our foes”; and he “gives food to all flesh.” We can be sure that God remembers us regardless of the condition we find ourselves in. And, we can be sure that he can rescue us from whatever would destroy us. And, we can be sure that God will give us whatever we need. His sustaining and protective love is a precious gift.

It was 4:30 in the morning in western Kansas, and still long before sunrise. I had to drive through desolate hill country where there are no phones, no stores, no service stations, no dwellings for long, long stretches. What if I was to have car trouble? I felt a little uneasy. Before leaving the motel, I prayed that the Lord would give me an angel for the 24-mile stretch of road between Hill City and WaKeeney. Just as I pulled out onto the highway I noticed a truck coming up from behind me. I sped up just enough so that it couldn’t pass me. And all the way, for 24 miles, he followed me on the desolate road. That, I believe, was the answer to my prayer for an angel. It was what I needed that morning. It was an experience of God’s sustaining love. My soul sang out, “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.”

THE GRATITUDE MODE 

The God of Scripture has no greater joy than that we bask in his love, and find divine fulfillment and purpose in life. God takes no delight in tragedy. He takes no delight in suffering. He takes no delight in seeing us go through the trials and tribulations of life. God is always working to bring about good in our lives. This does not mean that he prevents all tragedies, all trials, and all tribulations. What it means is that he is working on our behalf in the midst of all the circumstances of life for the purpose of bringing us into a peaceful and joyous relationship with him, with ourselves, and with others.

When we experience the blessings of God, it is good for us to express gratitude. Psalm 136 encourages uninhibited gratitude for the goodness of God. “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

PRAYER 
Let us pray:

Gracious Lord, how good you are! Your mercies are new every morning. Grant to us the wisdom to show our gratitude for all that you have for us. Guard us against closing ourselves against your gifts. While we give thanks for the good things we have and for the absence of other things, most of all we give thanks for the manifold gifts that you have for us—your creative power, your redeeming grace, and your sustaining love. Indeed, we do give thanks to you, O Lord God. In Christ’s name, amen.

1 Stanley Hoffman, “He Will Provide,” Five Loaves and Two Fish, ed. Cheryl Johnson Barton (Anderson: Missionary Board of the Church of God, 1996), p. 5.
2 New Revised Standard Version used here and throughout.

Script 2603 (GWS)
November 17, 1996
SERIES: GRATITUDE
3. Gratitude for What God Has
Scripture: Psalm 136