Thanks Living: He's Right Here!

We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near. Psalm 75:1

Give thanks: literally, to use (i.e. hold out) the hand; physically, especially to revere or worship (with extended hands—the open one—indicating power, means, direction, etc.)

Wondrous works: Distinguish; by implication, great, wonderful, accomplish, marvelous

Declare: to score with a mark as a tally or record, i.e. (by implication) to inscribe, and also to enumerate; intensively, to recount.

Name: especially as embodying the (revealed) character of;

Near: to approach, (cause to) draw near, be at hand, join

We thank You, O True God. Our souls are overflowing with thanks! Your name is near; Your people remember and tell of Your marvelous works and wonders. Psalm 75:1 (VOICE) 

We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds. Psalm 75:1 (NLT)

As I reflect on the Christmas season, I realized that it seemed easier to "thank" those who were near by at the time of the gift giving. The ones who were farther away, that took a bit of effort. Not, that I didn't appreciate the gifts any different—it's just easier to communicate with those who are "right there". 

I know that I am to give thanks to God. But as I read, Psalm 75:1, the truth that God is not off in the distance—rather is is right here, close at hand—made the thought of giving thanks even more vital and relevant. 

God is near and He is involved in my life. And if I want to enjoy a "Thanks Living" life, then I must start with giving thanks to God! All the things He does confirms Who He is and what He is capable of doing. 

Think for a moment of the sunrise and sunset. The Earth continues to spin on it's axis tilted just at the precise angle as it rotates around the sun. The stars are hung and kept in Space. The oceans contain amazing creatures that we continue to discover. 

Am I giving thanks to God? Am I noticing His marvelous works? Am I recognizing that God is right here? 

Everywhereness

This year, I'm sharing my "Treasures" of my study of my "Ponder the Morsels" book. I've picked 31 Psalms to study throughout 2013. Today I studied Psalm 47. Here is what I learned.

God has risen with a shout of joy; the Lord has risen ·as the trumpets sounded [with the sound of the ram’s horn]. Psalm 47:5 (EXB)

God goes up to his throne. There are shouts of joy and the blast of trumpets, as the Lord goes up. Psalm 47:5 (GNT)

The Lord with the sound of a trumpet - Yahweh, accompanied with the notes of victory. All this is designed to denote triumph, and to show that the victory was to be traced solely to God. Barnes' Notes on the Bible 

In short, the import of the Psalmist's language is, When the trumpets sounded among the Jews, according to the appointment of the Law, that was not a mere empty sound which vanished away in the air; for God, who intended the ark of the covenant to be a pledge and token of his presence, truly presided in that assembly. From this the prophet draws an argument for enforcing on the faithful the duty of singing praises to God He argues, that by engaging in this exercise they will not be acting blindly or at random, as the superstitious, who, having no certainty in their false systems of religion, lament and howl in vain before their idols. He shows that the faithful have just ground for celebrating with their mouths and with a cheerful heart the praises of God; since they certainly know that he is as present with them, as if he had visibly established his royal throne among them. Calvin's Commentary

God is present.  

Present: being, companionship, company, existence, habitation, inhabitance, latency, occupation, omnipresence, potentiality, residence, subsistence, ubiety, ubiquity, whereabouts, closeness, vicinity, immediate circle, nearness.

Ubiquity: all-presence, everywhereness.

I like that word, “everywhereness”. That describes God. He is everywhere—but very close by! The fact that God Almighty is present, should impact my life in several ways. 1. I can take great comfort knowing that God is near. 2. My actions, attitude, and what I articulate should reflect that God is present. 3. Peace should overwhelm me, knowing that God is near and in control. I am not alone. 

To create a positive day, is very doable, if I only remember the “everywhereness” of God!