“O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.”–Psalm 95:1–5
Since we live in a fallen world, life is tough for everyone. We can always find a cause for grief and something to complain about, and most people do. Christians, however, can always find a reason to rejoice. There is always something for which we can be thankful. Dr. Paul Chappell wrote:
“We live in a man-centered world. The motivating spirit of our age is a humanistic, self-focused spirit. This delights Satan, because it is his spirit. The initial rebellion against God described by the prophet Isaiah reveals the roots of what we see around us. “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High” (Isaiah 14:13–14).
As Christians we should stand against the spirit of the age, and one of the keys to doing that is to focus on God rather than on ourselves. God is not a disinterested bystander. He is the creator and controller of the world. Everything that we see was made by Him and belongs to Him. Rather than seeking to satisfy our own appetites and please ourselves, we should be focused on bringing honor and glory to God.
A life lived with this goal will be a life filled with thanksgiving and praise. The greatness, majesty, and power of God, and His wonderful provision for us give us every reason to rejoice. We are not abandoned to the world—we always have God’s provision as our promise. This truth should make us grateful indeed.”
