Good Morning Yaman Ki Yesepar and Nevim Arith Hayomim:
Psalms 95:2: “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with Psalms.”
If you have been reading my journal you probably know that I don’t speak a party line, I don’t join in any reindeer games nor do I sing with the chorus. Yet, if you want to know my doctrinal statement just Google: “Moody Bible Institute” and read their doctrinal statement. When it comes to waving my flag in some overt fashion, I usually do it in the evangelical conservative camp. That would mean that I pay due respects to Thanksgiving and dutifully recite one thing I am thankful for before indulging in the Thanksgiving feast.
This year I am considering lowering my flag on Thanksgiving. I am hoping that tradition of giving one thing you are thankful for, is somehow overlooked. For me, I have to run my hands under the cushions of the sofa to find one “coin” of thanksgiving. I mean I am every prosperity teacher’s worst nightmare if call upon to testify. Considering a year of job loss, major illness (one week before my health insurance kicked in), resulting bankruptcy, foreclosure, no ministry etc., thanksgiving is just not in the cards for me this year.
Oh yes, I know things could be worse. I have been making the rounds of the nursing homes, and assistant living homes as a caregiver. I have seen worse. But that somehow doesn’t seem to be much comfort.
On the Internet today, I did see one thing that brought comfort and made aware of the one thing I am thankful for and will always be thankful for no matter what life dishes out to me. You may have seen the video on the Internet of the dog staying by his master’s grave in China. The master died at the age of 68 and the only family he had was this dog. The dog has not left his master’s graveside. He has not eaten or drank any water for a week. People have come and fed the dog and gave him water. The video went out over the Internet and all over the world donations came in to build the dog a kennel next to his master’s gave and provide food for him.
Food and water meant nothing to this little dog, only his master’s presence. Remembering my study on dominion of animals and the fact that animals were created to lead us to a knowledge and understanding of God, I began to think this little dog in China was sending me (and millions of other downtrodden Christians) a message. Of course you will need to look at the syntax of Psalms 93:2 very closely to get this message. At first reading this verse does not tell you what you are to be thankful for. But looking it at closely it really does.
You see we are to come before His presence with thanksgiving. Actually, a proper syntax would suggest that you read the verse this way: “Come with thanksgiving for His presence.” You know living a Christian life for many people in this world is not a life filled with blessings. In many parts of the word Christians are being tortured, forced from their homes, separated from their families, suffering poverty and loss of jobs for no other reason than the fact that they are believers. What do they have to be thankful for?
The word used here in Hebrew for thanks giving is “todah.” In modern Hebrew that is the word you use for “thank you.” It comes from the root word “Yudah” or “Judah” as we say in English. Judah means a thanksgiving or praise. The word “todah” is spelled “Taw, Daleth, Hei.” Esoterically we see that the Taw represents praise and thanksgiving, the Daleth represents a “doorway” and the Hei represents the presence of God. Praise and thanksgiving is a doorway to the presence of God.
In Revelation 3:20 we find Jesus speaking to the church of Laodicea who he says are neither “hot nor cold.” What makes them neither “hot nor cold?” Jesus says he stands at the “door and knocks.” He is talking to believers, not non-believers as we often reference this verse. A good esoteric Jew would recognize this picture of standing at a “door” knocking. He would know that Jesus is saying “todah.” “Open the door to my presence through praise and thanksgiving.” We come into his presence though thanksgiving for his presence. The Church of Laodicea was blessed but they failed to offer thanksgiving and praise to God.
If you were to ask that little dog what he is “thankful” for, he will not say it is for the opportunity to chase rabbits, drink water, eat food, or sleep. He has proven that his master’s presence is more important than the basic needs of life. He waits patiently hoping for his master to appear, not realizing that he will never appear.
But I, on the other hand, know that my master will appear, and that I will feel His presence ie., his love. Nothing can separate me from that. As Paul said in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, no angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.”
This thanksgiving I do not have much in material sense to be thankful for, but I can truly say that I am thankful that bankruptcy, foreclosures, illness, unemployment, things present or things to come, will never separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. As long as I know I will never be separated from the Love of God in Christ Jesus, I am richer that Donald Trump. He could lose overnight that which is important to him. I know and need never fear that I will never lose what is important to me.
Recent Comments