Today’s scripture: Psalm 98 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Kevin Konkle):
Reading Psalms 98 takes me back to my days at the ole Pentecostal campground in Fortville, Indiana. In the big Tabernacle we didn’t have air-conditioning and it was always mid-July when they held these raucous 5 day religious revivals. It was hot and humid and we were sweating to death, and there were mosquitoes galore. Yet we didn’t care we were enraptured in thankful hearts and joyful praise and worship! There was jubilant music, people clapping, shouting “Hallelujah!”, new songs, trumpets & musical instruments of all sorts, dancing in the aisles, and on occasion… jumping the pews. LOL.
While we don’t have to do all that to worship and praise our Lord, however Psalms 98 seems to say we have to do something. It’s impossible for us to think of all the good things God has done in our lives and just stare blankly into space. A “Thanksgiving Campmeetin’ Spirit” should rise up within us when we think of all the times we should have died, when we should have ended up in jail, when we almost killed ourselves, when had almost given up life and hope, when we had so many walk away from us…BUT God came running to us. God put within our hearts a reason to live, God kept us out of jail, God birthed joy and peace into our spirits, God helped us through some hellish times with a touch of God’s presence and a little bit of Heaven.
How can we not be thankful? How can we not want to shout, to sing, to clap, to dance, to show our God how grateful we are for all the things God has done for us! “Oh” you say, “I’m not the emotional type!” — until someone tries to flirt with your partner…then the emotions come out! If we can be so good at negative emotional expressions, why not work on positive ones? I’m not talking about just at church, but EVERYDAY should be a “Thanksgiving Campmeetin’!” Everyday we have something to be thankful for: thankful for breath, for life, for health, for your partner, for the fact you have a home, for the fact you have a wonderful church family. So tomorrow, wake up, start dancing around the bed, clapping and shouting, “Thank you Jesus, today is Thanksgiving Campmeetin’ for me!” Imagine the shock on your partner’s, your family, your friends, or even the Devil’s face when they see that!
Prayer for the day: Lord help me to be the first to sing praises unto your name for all the wonderful things you have done for me!
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.