Skip to main content

Daily Devotion: Genesis 8:20-22

By

Genesis 8:20-22    "And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.  (21)  And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.  (22)  While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease."

Noah and his family had now been delivered through the flood and off the ark. They were safe. God had provided every need for them. So what was the most important thing for them to do?  "Noah builded an altar unto the Lord."  He took time to give thanks unto God and the Lord received that spirit of gratitude and responded with a promise that remains to this day.

We are two weeks past Thanksgiving and now headed straightway into the Christmas season. As I read today's verses, my heart and mind reflects back on two weeks ago. For me, personally, the past two weeks have been a marvelous time in my life. I look back and I have so much for which to be thankful. My heart is filled with joy and gladness at what the Lord has done in my life. As I look back, I cannot thank Him enough.

Now, headed into the Christmas season, I have much for which to be thankful. We will be celebrating and remembering the most wonderful gift that has ever been given. That gift was not wrapped in bright colorful wrappers; rather He was wrapped in plain swaddling clothes that Mary had brought along with her. But even more than the swaddling clothes, that gift of Christ is wrapped in mercy, grace, and love. As I look ahead, I am thankful for that marvelous gift and it will take all eternity to be able to express that gratitude.

What should be our most important thing to do each and every day? Should it not be to offer sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving unto the Lord upon the altar of our hearts? God has made a promise (covenant) with us that remains to this day and shall be for all eternity. His love never fails and will never be withdrawn from us.  Let us be thankful and rejoice in Him.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Daily Devotion: Enter With Thanksgiving - Psalm 100:1-5

By
One of the most beautiful Psalms of Thanksgiving is the 100th Psalm. Please turn to it and read verses one through five. With all my heart I believe we are a people and a nation that has truly been blessed by God. Of all those who “give thanks to Him and praise His name” we should be at the top!  It is not uncommon to compile wish lists at Christmas, and draw up a list of resolutions for the new year. But there is another list we often overlook - a Thanksgiving Day list of all for which we are thankful. What would your list contain? Most likely, a good part would be material possessions. I’m convinced that we would find that we have much more for which to be thankful than just our material possessions.  Like you, I’m sure my list would include the major things - life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all its flaws. But even more than that, I’m thankful for my salvation, my Church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each d...
Read more

Daily Devotion: An Important Question

By
In one of the great Psalms of thanksgiving, the writer asked a most pertinent question. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all of His benefits toward me” (Psalm 116:12) ? We may observe two elements in this question. The psalmist acknowledges having received many benefits, or blessings, at the hand of the Lord. For the believer, to be the receiver of blessings from the Lord is a fact beyond question. That is one facet of a proper perception of reality. However, for the unbeliever, or even for the nominal believer, such things come in the course of nature, or as a matter of deserving them. But to fail to see that such benefits and blessings come from the Lord is to lose touch with reality. The other element of the question is that the writer expresses a sense of obligation to the Lord and reveals a desire to do something in response to the amazing goodness of God to him. It is the reflex of the godly heart to desire to do something in response to the perceived go...
Read more