Thankful Themes

"O give thanks unto the LORD… that stretched out the earth above the waters… Who remembered us in our low estate… and hath redeemed us from our enemies" (Psalm 136:1,6,23,24).  "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?  Who hath gathered the wind in His fists?  Who hath bound the waters in a garment?  Who hath established all the ends of the earth?... He is a Shield unto them that put their trust in Him" (Proverbs 30:4,5).  "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). 

We join the joyful, grateful ranks

Of those who worship God our Savior

And lift our voice to give Him thanks

As we recall His wondrous favor. 

We praise Him for his works are great

In all the wonders of creation! 

Descending to our low estate,

He died to purchase our salvation! 

We trust in Him who is our Shield,

Ascended now as our Defender. 

How rightly, therefore, do we yield

To Him with grateful, glad surrender. 

O Lord, as we recall the cost

Of blood You shed that now redeems

And ransoms those who once were lost,

We worship You with thankful themes! 

Implication of Impossible

"Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places… Thy name, O LORD, endureth forever; and Thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations" (Psalm 135:6,13).  "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Proverbs 29:1).  "And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?  And He [Jesus] said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God " (Luke 18:26,27). 

The Lord has done what He has pleased,

But what exactly does that mean?

His holy standards were not eased;

No compromise with God is seen.

Indeed, through every generation

His faithfulness has been displayed,

Extending to us His salvation,

But not without the price He paid. 

Let him who often is reproved

Be mindful of this principle:

God's holiness is not removed

At last to save the rebel's soul! 

O Lord, the implication, then,

Of things impossible You do,

Is that You're saving sinful men,

Yet to Your name You must be true.  

Need of the Next

"The people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and… all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel" (Judges 2:7,10).  "Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things" (Proverbs 28:5).  "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man… the flood came, and destroyed them all" (Luke 17:26,27). 

There is need to now impart

The training to this generation

To seek the Lord with all their heart

And understand His great salvation. 

The great deception of our day

Has left the multitudes perplexed,

As generations go astray

And pass confusion to the next. 

There is a clear and present danger

That generations that we raise  
May count the Lord to be a Stranger

When they arise beyond our days. 

O Lord, these days are very dark,

As in the days of Noah's pleading,

But You are like the mighty ark

Our next of kin are sorely needing.  

Unity with Understanding

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon… Aaron's beard… As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore" (Psalm 133:1-3).  "My son, be wise, and make My heart glad… Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks" (Proverbs 27:11,23).  "Give an account of thy stewardship" (Luke 16:2).

The Lord commands us each to view

These similes of unity

In Aaron and in heaven's dew

To understand our harmony.   

In Aaron is a type of Christ,

Our great High Priest whom God appointed,

Who for our sakes was sacrificed

As God's unblemished Lamb anointed. 

The dew descending on each mountain,

In Hermon's north and Zion's south,  

Portrays God's blessing like a fountain

That we may praise Him with one mouth. 

O Lord, as dew upon each mount  

Brought blessings that You were commanding,

By grace, we'd give a glad account

For unity with understanding.  

Cherished Choice

"Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15).  "The LORD hath chosen Zion; He hath desired it… and her saints shall shout aloud for joy" (Psalm 132:13-16).  "The curse causeless shall not come" (Proverbs 26:2).  "When he [the prodigal son] came to himself, he said… I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee… His father saw him, and had compassion" (Luke 15:17-20).

How cherished is that choice we made

To find in Christ our Hiding Place,

Who gave Himself, and thereby paid

For our redemption by His grace! 

The Lord who made that cherished choice,

Has thus prepared for us a city

In Zion, where we shall rejoice

In Him, who on our souls took pity. 

Praise God, who chose to pay that price

To take away the curse's cause,

When He became our Sacrifice

To satisfy His holy laws. 

We thank You, Lord, for Your compassion  

On us who surely would have perished! 

Your choice to love us in this fashion

Amazes us whom You have cherished!