Following the ancient ways

 Psalm 119:49–56(ESV): 

Zayin

 49  Remember your word to your servant, 

in which you have made me hope. 

 50  This is my comfort in my affliction, 

that your promise gives me life. 

 51  The insolent utterly deride me, 

but I do not turn away from your law. 

 52  When I think of your rules from of old, 

I take comfort, O Lord. 

 53  Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, 

who forsake your law. 

 54  Your statutes have been my songs 

in the house of my sojourning. 

 55  I remember your name in the night, O Lord, 

and keep your law. 

 56  This blessing has fallen to me, 

that I have kept your precepts. 

God’s Word contains ancient assurances that have stood the test of time, giving security and something dependable to trust in. No other rules or laws are that reliable. Acts are rewritten and updated, laws contested and changed throughout the world and throughout the ages. Yet there is one set of statutes that you can live by that have never been adjusted and that will never be changed. The Law of God has never altered. His commandments about loving Him and loving others, that Jesus also taught, finds it’s source in the Old Testament which was written thousands of years ago, and has never been updated or changed. You can still live by this guidance, it has been tried and tested through thousands of generations, all across the world. The wisest man that ever lived, Solomon recommended it, and no other regulations or rules can lead to life like it does. The Law of God has been followed across nations, cultures and generations, and has been shown to bring life, peace, comfort and strength to those who follow it. What other law does that?! 

How aggravating when people come against it, using persuasive words and delicious temptations to defile and devalue the Word of God (v53). They abandon God’s rules and forget the songs, and how inviting it can seem for you to do the same. To choose a different path of life, different songs to sing, different ‘new’ rules to follow. Yet, can these new influences and desires really bring comfort, strength, or joy? Is it not the ‘rules from of old’ that bring consistent comfort, security, hope and joy? The ancient way that has been tested through the generations, through thousands of years that has led to providing a hope and future for nations and millions of people, surely it makes sense to follow that way rather than anything temporal and untested?

Instead of being tempted to follow the ways of others, of bending with cultural norms, remember God’s Word. Do not allow the persuasive or inviting ways of others sway you, but stand firm with the Word of God that has remained steadfast since the beginning of time. Read, listen to and apply Scripture to your life as it has been giving people freedom and life from ancient days, and it can do the same for you. No other way will provide peace, comfort or joy like God’s Word does.

Psalm 119:56-64 (ESV): 

Heth

 57  The Lord is my portion; 

I promise to keep your words. 

 58  I entreat your favour with all my heart; 

be gracious to me according to your promise. 

 59  When I think on my ways, 

I turn my feet to your testimonies; 

 60  I hasten and do not delay 

to keep your commandments. 

 61  Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, 

I do not forget your law. 

 62  At midnight I rise to praise you, 

because of your righteous rules. 

 63  I am a companion of all who fear you, 

of those who keep your precepts. 

 64  The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; 

teach me your statutes! 

How committed are you to keeping God’s Word? Do you ‘think on my ways’, to ensure that you are heading in the right direction? This writer takes time to reflect on their behaviour and choices, and is honest enough to admit that they ‘turn my feet to your testimonies’. It is good to consider the direction you are going in often. Then it is as easy as changing the angle of your feet to re-align with God’s ways. Slightly adjusting your path to ensure that you don’t wander off-track and become far from God is easier than carrying on, and finding yourself lost with a lot of ground to cover. 

God’s Word is a marvellous guide, are you making sure you follow it, adjusting your direction as you go? Why not take a few moments to think upon your ways (v59). Consider - are your thoughts and your feet aligned to the path God wants you to tread? It is easy to get lost or take a wrong turn when you are not checking the directions, so grab hold of the Word of God and ask the Lord to lead you.

Why live God's way?

 Psalm 119:33–40 (ESV): 

He

 33  Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; 

and I will keep it to the end. 

 34  Give me understanding, that I may keep your law 

and observe it with my whole heart. 

 35  Lead me in the path of your commandments, 

for I delight in it. 

 36  Incline my heart to your testimonies, 

and not to selfish gain! 

 37  Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; 

and give me life in your ways. 

 38  Confirm to your servant your promise, 

that you may be feared. 

 39  Turn away the reproach that I dread, 

for your rules are good. 

 40  Behold, I long for your precepts; 

in your righteousness give me life! 

Allow God to teach you. Do not get distracted by the things of this world, but hold firm to the Word of God. Determine to see God’s commands as good, even when they are difficult. For He is a good parent, He gives boundaries and instructions so that you you can live a good, godly and healthy life. 

The rules of parents do not always make sense to their children, but when the children obey them, they grow well. When they do not, there is fear, anger, relationship breakdown and a life lived outside the safety of the family. Therefore, rather than trying to see what you can get away with, or ignoring some of the rules because they seem old, boring or not in line with cultural expectations, ask God to teach you. Remind yourself that God is the best parent, and that as His child you may not understand all that He expects of you. Then ask Him to ‘give me understanding that i may keep your law’ and ‘lead me in the path of your commandments, for i delight in it’. being happy learning about instructions is difficult to do! Yet, you can ask God for help, and through learning more about God and His character, you will see more clearly that He loves you and wants the best for you. The you can come to love His ways and His instructions. 

Following God can become joyful when you look at the big picture. God gives you promises (v38), He turns away reproach (v39), and He gives you life now and for eternity (v40). If these are the consequences of obedience to Him, surely it is worth it!

Psalm 119:40–48 (ESV): 

Waw

 41  Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, 

your salvation according to your promise; 

 42  then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, 

for I trust in your word. 

 43  And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, 

for my hope is in your rules. 

 44  I will keep your law continually, 

forever and ever, 

 45  and I shall walk in a wide place, 

for I have sought your precepts. 

 46  I will also speak of your testimonies before kings 

and shall not be put to shame, 

 47  for I find my delight in your commandments, 

which I love. 

 48  I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, 

and I will meditate on your statutes. 

Reading the Bible shows you that you are loved. God’s testimonies, His rules, the history of His people - all of these can reveal to you the vastness, beauty and reality of God’s love for you. He has ensured that you can read and hear about His character, goodness, battles, care and power through His Word. He has made sure all of this is written down because He wants to reveal His love to you. God's love is not fickle or minute, but steadfast and everlasting. Therefore read the Bible and discover the love of God!

This revelation of how God loves you should fill you with such joy and passion that you determine to ‘keep your law continually’. Whether you are in ‘a wide place’, speaking ‘before kings’ or in front ‘of him who taunts me’, God loves you and is with you. Therefore you can courageously speak and stand on the truth, no matter where you are, or who you are with. 

Does the environment you are in, or the people you are with effect your behaviour and topics of conversation? Do you acknowledge and love God in every place and in front of every person? Your love and obedience to God should not be hidden or changeable. Instead, the love of God should be your guiding force in life, not the love of anything or anyone else. 

Desire to lead a life pleasing to Him and you will have love, joy and peace, even when before kings and enemies.

The Word of wondrous things

 Psalm 119:17–24(ESV): 

Gimel

 17  Deal bountifully with your servant, 

that I may live and keep your word. 

 18  Open my eyes, that I may behold 

wondrous things out of your law. 

 19  I am a sojourner on the earth; 

hide not your commandments from me! 

 20  My soul is consumed with longing 

for your rules at all times. 

 21  You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, 

who wander from your commandments. 

 22  Take away from me scorn and contempt, 

for I have kept your testimonies. 

 23  Even though princes sit plotting against me, 

your servant will meditate on your statutes. 

 24  Your testimonies are my delight; 

they are my counsellors. 

Does reading the Bible give you fresh revelation, comfort, wonder? Do you expect it to? 

This psalmist expects and desires to see ‘wondrous things’ when they read scripture. For The Word of God is precious and beautiful, and it can reveal new and incredible things when you study it. God’s word can inspire, strengthen, challenge, comfort and delight you. It can also build a sense of awe for who God is, and what He has done. If you struggle to see this, then pray, ‘open my eyes that i may behold wondrous things out of your law’. Who knows what new things you will notice, and what joy you will receive when you approach the Bible expecting and waiting for God to speak to you.

This wonderful Word of God that we have access to is written for you. It shows a life and a kingdom that is to come, and how to navigate this season where you are ‘a sojourner on the earth’. You were not created to belong here, but to be a citizen of God’s realm. So whilst you wait to join Him for eternity, read His Word so that you can live well here, in preparation for what is to come. Although this life may seem arduous and long at times, eternity is longer! So learn to live as a ‘sojourner’, a traveller, someone that is just passing through this place, as your eternal home is with God for eternity, not here on Earth. You are a citizen of the Kingdom of God, so you need to know how to live like one. Do not rely on anyone else to show you how to do it, whether they are good people, great people or influential people. Even princes and those in power don’t have it all figured out, nor do friends or coworkers, they are struggling to live beyond this life too. Instead allow God’s Word to counsel you, guard you and guide you. Ask God to make clear His words and instructions that you may live well in this temporary accommodation with respect and honour, whilst you await your eternal, permanent home. 

Psalm 119:25–32 (ESV)

Daleth

 25  My soul clings to the dust; 

give me life according to your word! 

 26  When I told of my ways, you answered me; 

teach me your statutes! 

 27  Make me understand the way of your precepts, 

and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 

 28  My soul melts away for sorrow; 

strengthen me according to your word! 

 29  Put false ways far from me 

and graciously teach me your law! 

 30  I have chosen the way of faithfulness; 

I set your rules before me. 

 31  I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; 

let me not be put to shame! 

 32  I will run in the way of your commandments 

when you enlarge my heart! 

‘when i told you of my ways, you answered me’. How beautiful to know that God is not distant or ignorant, but He leans in, listens, and answers! The fact that the writer has told God what he has done indicates that they have made mistakes (v26). They have got it wrong on their pursuit of living a life pleasing to God and confessed to Him their sin. God responded and their reply was ‘teach me your statutes’. What a wonderful response to getting it wrong! Instead of floundering in sin or being overcome with shame, this person approached God, was restored by Him and then desired greater understanding of Scripture. Through pondering on their ways, this person realised that the root cause of their error was that they did not know or understand of the Word of God. Therefore, the answer to avoid sin is to ask God to ‘make me understand the way of your precepts’. Sometimes you may not know why God says to do or not to do something, so ask God to help you understand and ask Him to reveal how to apply Scripture to your life. 

It is not easy, but being a faithful follower of God. It requires obedience and that you humble yourself before Him. Acknowledging that He does in fact know best, even when it is hard to understand, and your heart yearns for something else can be painfully difficult. Therefore, like the psalmist, ask God to enlarge your heart so that you feel the same as God does about sin and situations. God can guide you, help you and change your desires when you invite Him to. Turning away from sin and learning to ‘run in the way of your commandments’ is difficult when you try to do it on your own. However, you have the ear of the author of the Bible. So, you have the great privilege of being able to talk to Him, ask Him how to apply His Word to your life. He alone will save you from sin and can enlarge your heart to care for the things He does. He doesn’t want you to keep clinging to the dust in despair. You can trust in His love and faithfulness to rescue and restore you. His Word is full of wondrous things - are you seeing them?

What rules do you follow?

As we begin to study Psalm 119 a couple of paragraphs at a time, we will see how every section exemplifies the brilliance of Scripture. If you allow God’s Word to have influence in your life, even when it is difficult, then you will be blessed. How wonderful it is for displaying God, giving direction, confidence, and building faith. The Bible is precious and beautiful, for it contains the very words of God, so read it carefully and in reverence, for it has the power to change your life.

Psalm 119:1–8 (ESV): 

Aleph

119  Blessed are those whose way is blameless, 

who walk in the law of the Lord! 

 2  Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, 

who seek him with their whole heart, 

 3  who also do no wrong, 

but walk in his ways! 

 4  You have commanded your precepts 

to be kept diligently. 

 5  Oh that my ways may be steadfast 

in keeping your statutes! 

 6  Then I shall not be put to shame, 

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 

 7  I will praise you with an upright heart, 

when I learn your righteous rules. 

 8  I will keep your statutes; 

do not utterly forsake me! 

What a great understanding this writer has of the beauty of the law of God. They honour and respect Scripture, but also acknowledge that they struggle to know and obey it! Has anything changed in the thousands of years that have passed since this was penned?! The Bible is both beautiful and terrifying, as us humans continue the struggle to understand and diligently apply the statutes of God to our lives.

The person who can live their life in complete obedience to the Word of God will be blessed, as they know not the shame and repentance sin brings, but instead the favour of God poured out upon them. Yet how difficult it is to live that righteous life, but do not give! Continue to strive for obedience, practice righteousness and keep asking God for forgiveness that He will not ‘utterly forsake’ you. I love the honesty of these words, and the hope that it brings. Although we go wrong, we have opportunity to try again. God is so kind to give us the opportunity and reminders to change, no wonder the writer says, 'I will praise you with an upright heart'. Do you praise God because of His commandments and statutes? Knowing the standards and instructions of God can lead to praise as you recognise how holy, good and glorious He is. God lives to a standard of love and purity that you cannot attain, yet he still gives you the opportunity to live a holier life. He welcomes and forgives you time and again. He knows that you try, and He loves it when you desire to live His way and not your own, for in your obedience you demonstrate your love to Him. Faithfulness to God is important to Him and it should be to you too, plus, for you, it leads to blessing. Therefore keep desiring to love the Word of God and obey it. It does you good; it leads you out of sin, shows you the way of righteousness and blessing, and reveals the love and might of God throughout. There is no other written word that is as powerful!

Psalm 119:9–16 (ESV): 

Beth

 9  How can a young man keep his way pure? 

By guarding it according to your word. 

 10  With my whole heart I seek you; 

let me not wander from your commandments! 

 11  I have stored up your word in my heart, 

that I might not sin against you. 

 12  Blessed are you, O Lord; 

teach me your statutes! 

 13  With my lips I declare 

all the rules of your mouth. 

 14  In the way of your testimonies I delight 

as much as in all riches. 

 15  I will meditate on your precepts 

and fix my eyes on your ways. 

 16  I will delight in your statutes; 

I will not forget your word. 

The temptations for the young seem especially hard, and every generation does have different types of challenges as technology and expectations of society change. Yet The Word of God never changes. Therefore in order to keep your way pure, prevent confusion and constant changing of ideals, invest in the Word of God. Scripture has remained good, noble and pure since it was created. Seeking God and ‘guarding’ your behaviour according to God’s Word is only one way to live a life of purity and constancy. 

Be diligent in your search and desire for righteousness, read, learn, understand and apply the Word of God that you may figure out how to live life well. Do not settle for the standards of others, or society, instead, seek the statutes of the Kingdom of God, fix your eyes on God and His direction. Do not allow your own wants, others ideas, or cultural dynamics dictate your desires and behaviours, but ask God alone to ‘teach me your statutes’. If you want to learn how to live life well, there is only One who will tell you the way. He has been instructing people for millennia how to live a blessed life. Others will tell you a multitude of ways and ideas which may seem attractive, but will lead ultimately to discontentment, confusion and heartache. Only God will show you the right way to live. You have been given the best guide to living a good, pure and holy life - the Bible. Read it and follow it. Then you will see how to live a satisfied life of purity, delight and blessing

Where do you look for love?

 Psalm 118:1–29 (ESV): 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; 

for his steadfast love endures forever! 

 2  Let Israel say, 

“His steadfast love endures forever.” 

 3  Let the house of Aaron say, 

“His steadfast love endures forever.” 

 4  Let those who fear the Lord say, 

“His steadfast love endures forever.” 

 5  Out of my distress I called on the Lord; 

the Lord answered me and set me free. 

 6  The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. 

What can man do to me? 

 7  The Lord is on my side as my helper; 

I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 

 8  It is better to take refuge in the Lord 

than to trust in man. 

 9  It is better to take refuge in the Lord 

than to trust in princes. 

 10  All nations surrounded me; 

in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 

 11  They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; 

in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 

 12  They surrounded me like bees; 

they went out like a fire among thorns; 

in the name of the Lord I cut them off! 

 13  I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, 

but the Lord helped me. 

 14  The Lord is my strength and my song; 

he has become my salvation. 

 15  Glad songs of salvation 

are in the tents of the righteous: 

  “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, 

 16  the right hand of the Lord exalts, 

the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” 

 17  I shall not die, but I shall live, 

and recount the deeds of the Lord. 

 18  The Lord has disciplined me severely, 

but he has not given me over to death. 

 19  Open to me the gates of righteousness, 

that I may enter through them 

and give thanks to the Lord. 

 20  This is the gate of the Lord; 

the righteous shall enter through it. 

 21  I thank you that you have answered me 

and have become my salvation. 

 22  The stone that the builders rejected 

has become the cornerstone. 

 23  This is the Lord’s doing; 

it is marvellous in our eyes. 

 24  This is the day that the Lord has made; 

let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

 25  Save us, we pray, O Lord! 

O Lord, we pray, give us success! 

 26  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! 

We bless you from the house of the Lord. 

 27  The Lord is God, 

and he has made his light to shine upon us. 

 Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, 

up to the horns of the altar! 

 28  You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; 

you are my God; I will extol you. 

 29  Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; 

for his steadfast love endures forever! 

All people are invited to recognise the steadfast love of the Lord. All of those from the nation of Israel - the original chosen people of God. The ‘house of Aaron’ - those selected for religious service to God through their work. As well as anyone who fears the Lord - all who choose to believe in Him. All people, whether they feel set apart or not, whether they are ethnically Jewish or not, work in a church setting or not, everyone has the privilege of receiving and recognising the steadfast love of God. His love and faithfulness are available and accessible to all. Are you living knowing that you are surrounded and supported by the steadfast love of God?

Do not look anywhere else for love or salvation, for only those who look to God as their helper and companion (v5-6) are able to say, ‘The Lord is on my side. I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ In all circumstances, follow Him and trust Him. Then you have the assurance of His presence, power and love working for your good. God’s steadfast love never departs or fades, it outlives everything, every person, trial and success, His love will last for all eternity. It is steadfast, secure, strong, God’s love will never let you down. No wonder the psalmist says, ‘it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.’ God can be depended upon because He always was and He always is. 

You can trust Him in the battles of life because God is honest and loves justice. Therefore He will reveal truth and cause things to work out for the glory of His kingdom every time. So, keep calling out to God when you feel persecuted, surrounded, let down and alone. Remember how this psalmist kept going, even when they felt hard pressed and surrounded by enemies (v10-13). In those times they called out to God, they didn’t trust in any other way, any other scheme, any other person, they trusted in God, and they survived and were victorious! They lived to give honour to God for His miraculous deliverance. You can have a similar outcome when you hold firm to God. 

People will let you down, they will forget, go back on their word, change their allegiance, give up, get distracted and become too busy. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they don’t care, just that they are not capable of providing the steadfast love and support you require. If you expect people to provide you comfort, salvation, strength and joy, you are looking for it in the wrong place. Only God can be your constant helper, protector, deliverer and refuge. He is your deliverer, protector, help, comforter, strength, Lord and saviour - are you looking to Him to for those things or elsewhere?

Loved eternally, beyond measure and mistakes

 Psalm 117:1–2 (ESV): 

Praise the Lord, all nations! 

Extol him, all peoples! 

 2  For great is his steadfast love toward us, 

and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. 

 Praise the Lord! 

Short and sweet this psalm, a mere two verses. Yet, take the time to consider their focus and you can spend hours letting them lead you to worship the God they speak of!

Firstly, there is an invitation for all people to worship God, all people! Written at a time when Israel was the only holy nation, the only people with the ark of the covenant, or a temple to the Living God. When specific stipulations and cleansing rituals had to be completed before entering this temple, the psalmist uses his few lines to tell ALL people to honour, love and praise the same God. God has always wanted everyone to come to Him. From all walks of life, all nations of the Earth, young and old, rich and poor, no matter how perfect or imperfect, capable or not, intelligent or not, healthy or not, all people are invited and welcomed to praise the Lord! You do not have to be perfect, sin-free or righteous to approach God, just willing to say yes because you’ve been invited! God loves you so much, He wants to meet you and for you to get to know who He is.

This psalm states, ‘For great is his steadfast love toward us’. Are you seeking to be loved? God’s love is so great that He can invite all people to share His heart and His love. His love is big enough to include everyone into His family. His love is so strong and secure that He can accept and forgive anyone and everyone, no exceptions. No matter what - His love never fails, never wears down, never fades, never gets fed up, never has enough and never walks out on you. His love instead is, 'steadfast' and ‘endures forever’! 

Do you want to receive this kind of love today? To know that you are;  loved unconditionally, without compromise or conditions and welcomed whether you have had a good day or not, behaved well or not. This love is available to you. It is available to all people and can only be found in one place. The Lord our God loves you like that. Stop seeking for this steadfast love in other places, other people and other things, they will only disappoint you, they cannot love you like this. Only the Living God can provide you eternal, steadfast love. His love is available right now, do you accept it?

You can accept and revel in being loved beyond measure, beyond mistakes and successes, beyond background and culture, beyond yesterday and today, for great is His steadfast love towards you. Praise the Lord!

The one leper

Psalm 116:1–19 (ESV): 

116 I love the Lord, because he has heard 

my voice and my pleas for mercy. 

 2  Because he inclined his ear to me, 

therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 

 3  The snares of death encompassed me; 

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; 

I suffered distress and anguish. 

 4  Then I called on the name of the Lord: 

“O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” 

 5  Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; 

our God is merciful. 

 6  The Lord preserves the simple; 

when I was brought low, he saved me. 

 7  Return, O my soul, to your rest; 

for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 

 8  For you have delivered my soul from death, 

my eyes from tears, 

my feet from stumbling; 

 9  I will walk before the Lord 

in the land of the living. 

 10  I believed, even when I spoke: 

“I am greatly afflicted”; 

 11  I said in my alarm, 

“All mankind are liars.” 

 12  What shall I render to the Lord 

for all his benefits to me? 

 13  I will lift up the cup of salvation 

and call on the name of the Lord, 

 14  I will pay my vows to the Lord 

in the presence of all his people. 

 15  Precious in the sight of the Lord 

is the death of his saints. 

 16  O Lord, I am your servant; 

I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. 

You have loosed my bonds. 

 17  I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving 

and call on the name of the Lord. 

 18  I will pay my vows to the Lord 

in the presence of all his people, 

 19  in the courts of the house of the Lord, 

in your midst, O Jerusalem. 

  Praise the Lord! 

Has God ever rescued you?

If you trust and believe in Him, have given your life to honour and worship Him, He has, and probably more than once. He first rescued you when He saved your life through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus by rescuing you from sin. I am sure there are other situations when God has intervened, that you can look back on like this psalmist, and recognise that God ‘has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy’. 

It is important to acknowledge, accept and bring honour to God for the work He has done in your life. For the way He has broken through, for how He has sustained and rescued you, provided for you, delivered you from harm, transformed situations, and turned enemies away from you. Do not take His love and power for granted, but give God the praise and gratitude He deserves and has earned. Are you good at that? Thanking and praising God for what He has brought you through and saved you from? Or do you struggle to see His work and find yourself complaining to Him about the next thing? 

Be like the one leper out of the ten that was healed by Jesus and turned back to show gratitude. For, ‘he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks’ (Luke 17:15-16). Be like that. Nine out of the ten people in that situation took their healing and left. Only one said thank you and acknowledged that God had done a great work in them, and thought to praise God for transforming his life. Be like that one, and this psalmist. It is easy to take God’s work and intervention for granted, to get on with life healed, situations resolved and provision given. Do not forget how those things changed. Honour God and reflect on this, ‘what shall i render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?’ For all that God has done in your life, He deserves your worship, your gratitude. When you do something well, or help someone out, you expect a thank you. God has not only helped you out, but He has saved your life and rescued you from hell as well as the everyday matters He intervenes in. How much more should you be chasing after Him like that one leper to show your gratitude! He ran to Jesus, was loud in his praise and fell at Jesus feet in honour. Is this how you respond when you see God has worked in your life?  

You too can say to God, ‘you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling’. Think about it, God has delivered you from eternal death to eternal life, He has saved you from some heartbreak and there are times when He has intervened when you could have got hurt or gone wrong. Acknowledge those times and give glory to God for His work, do not keep your testimony and praise private - the leper ran and was loud! He didn’t care who saw or heard him, he just needed to show how grateful he was, and he was honoured by Jesus for it. Let your praise and gratitude be loud because you are not trying to bring attention to yourself but to the God who has done so much for you. He has transformed your life, given you hope, so show your gratitude.

Through demonstrating your praise and thankfulness, who knows who you could encourage or inspire. Your stories of hope, breakthrough, healing or provision can influence others simply by expressing joy about God’s power in your life. God has given you salvation, He has delivered you, poured out blessings upon you, loosed your bonds, given you salvation, healed you, protected you, exalted you, forgiven you and saved your life! Therefore thank Him. Honour Him and give to Him. Then tell others about how great He is. He deserves your thanksgiving. 

Are you like the one leper who went out of his way to turn back and show gratitude, or are you like the 9 who accepted God's blessing and just got on with life? Be like the one to whom Jesus says, “Rise and go your way, your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19).