Give Thanks to the Lord for His Unfailing Love and His Wonderful Deeds

Daily Devotional – Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

Psalms 107:8 (NKJV)

Imagine having a friend who is always begging you to give him one item or the other. She comes several times every day and you always give her what she asks for. There is one problem, though. This friend never thanks you for all you give her.

How different is this ungrateful friend from us when we consider our attitudes towards God? When we go before God in prayer, do we prioritize our needs or do we start by thanking God for answered prayers?

Give Thanks to the LORD, for He is Good

The writer of Psalm 107 beautifully recounts the workings of God in our lives and reminds us of the best way to repay God for answered prayer. The psalm has a powerful opening invitation. “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalms 107:1).

Verses 2 to 7 then recount experiences of people that God had redeemed from the hand of the enemy. They had wandered in deserts and wastelands and had no place to call home. They were hungry and thirsty and almost lost their lives.

Then They Cried Out to the LORD in their Trouble

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.” (Psalms 107:6-7). What a beautiful illustration of the goodness of the Lord towards His children!

It is for this reason that the psalmist makes this important call, “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.” (Psalms 107:8). After all God has done for them, is it too much to ask that the give thanks to Him?

The God of Second Chances

Psalm 107 gives more examples of our loving, forgiving and redeeming God who continues to give us second chances despite our rebelliousness. This psalm demonstrates that we owe our lives and possessions to God, hence the need to demonstrate genuine gratitude towards Him.

What duration of our prayer time do we spend thanking God for His goodness compared to the time we allocate for presenting petitions? Considering God knows our needs even before we ask, should we dedicate more time to praise and thanksgiving?

The Wisdom of Counting Our Blessings

The psalm ends on a reflective mood, “Let the one who is wise heed these things and ponder the loving deeds of the LORD.” (Psalms 107:43). Wisdom is found in counting our blessings more than enumerating our needs and wants.

Today, take a moment to reflect on the wonderful miracles God has performed in your life. Recall His undying love, forgiveness, providence, healing and goodness. Turn your mind and lips to God in thanksgiving and praise. That is all He is asking for.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unfailing love and Your wonderful deeds for me.