Reason for Thanks 1 Chronicles 16;34-35 11-26-13

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    his love endures forever.
35 Cry out, “Save us, God our Savior;
    gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
    and glory in your praise.” (1 Chronicles 16:34-35)

Thoughts: Two lessons of thanksgiving are here.  First we are to thank God for He is good.  God defines goodness.  Without God, there is no ultimate good.  If there is no God, then there is no soul.  If there is no soul, then we are just molecules.  it makes no difference whether one molecule is kind or mean to another if there is no judge to say one action is better than the other.  But if there is a judge, then what we do matters and makes a difference.  God is good- let us give thanks that there is such thing as goodness- and that it is defined by God.  God is as good as it gets.  God defines goodness by His own character and quality.  God is good to us- so let us give thanks to Him.
     Second, Asaph the writer, asks that God would save us, gather us and deliver us so that we might give thanks.  It is almost as if God has in Himself, a desire that we give Him thanks and praise.  This is not a bad prayer to pray.  Lord, save me that I might praise and thank you properly.  Another Psalmist asks for God to deliver him from death because the dead do not praise God (6:5; 88:10; 115:7).  It is similar to bargaining with God to keep us alive that we might thank Him to His praise. 

Prayer: Lord, you are good to me adn I thank you.  Lord, preserve me that I may continue to thank and praise your name.