We know we should be thankful, and we know it is morally right to give thanks to God but do we understand why?
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the lord most high" Psalm 7:17. NIV.
ITS BASIC
When someone is kind, gives you a gift or does a favor you should say "Thank you." It shows our appreciation, expresses debt and gives honor to the person who has performed the task or given the gift.
WE SHOULD
We know we should thank the Lord for His blessings such as life, health, our food and the other good things we have. We should thank him for forgiveness of sins which is bought at so dear a price as the sacrifice of his Son whose death paid the penalty for our crimes against God's holiness. We do well to remember these things and offer morning and evening sacrifices of thanksgiving for them.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
But do we ever thank the Lord for His righteousness? Of all the things to be thankful for this should be very high on the list.
We fail to understand what His righteousness is. If God were not righteous He could burden us with grief unmanageable, and labors unendurable. If He were not righteous we would have no hope of salvation. If he were not righteous he would not need to provide us with life, food, love, comforts, rest, hope, or any of the blessings of life. If God is not righteous he might punish us daily for the slightest sin. He could behave toward us as a cat plays with a mouse.
THE GOOD SIDE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
God's righteousness makes Him holy, good, merciful, forgiving, patient and gracious. Because He is righteous we are not the victims of a God who is vindictive, wrathful, vengeful or neglectful. His righteousness is the balancing catalyst that makes all the truths about God good. Because He is righteous He foreordained salvation that is available to all by faith. Because He is righteous He justifies sinners through the work of Christ on the cross.
If we really thought about His righteousness we would well up with songs of gratitude and praise for the very righteousness of God because it gives us everything to be thankful for.
I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the lord most high" Psalm 7:17. NIV.
ITS BASIC
When someone is kind, gives you a gift or does a favor you should say "Thank you." It shows our appreciation, expresses debt and gives honor to the person who has performed the task or given the gift.
WE SHOULD
We know we should thank the Lord for His blessings such as life, health, our food and the other good things we have. We should thank him for forgiveness of sins which is bought at so dear a price as the sacrifice of his Son whose death paid the penalty for our crimes against God's holiness. We do well to remember these things and offer morning and evening sacrifices of thanksgiving for them.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
But do we ever thank the Lord for His righteousness? Of all the things to be thankful for this should be very high on the list.
We fail to understand what His righteousness is. If God were not righteous He could burden us with grief unmanageable, and labors unendurable. If He were not righteous we would have no hope of salvation. If he were not righteous he would not need to provide us with life, food, love, comforts, rest, hope, or any of the blessings of life. If God is not righteous he might punish us daily for the slightest sin. He could behave toward us as a cat plays with a mouse.
THE GOOD SIDE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
God's righteousness makes Him holy, good, merciful, forgiving, patient and gracious. Because He is righteous we are not the victims of a God who is vindictive, wrathful, vengeful or neglectful. His righteousness is the balancing catalyst that makes all the truths about God good. Because He is righteous He foreordained salvation that is available to all by faith. Because He is righteous He justifies sinners through the work of Christ on the cross.
If we really thought about His righteousness we would well up with songs of gratitude and praise for the very righteousness of God because it gives us everything to be thankful for.
© Adron 3/30/11
