Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this--those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, 3 those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. 4 Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. 5 They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. 7 He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, 9 for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

When we begin to innumerate the many things God has done for us and the many times he has delivered us from perils, troubles, pain and sickness, we can but exclaim with the Psalmist that the Lord is good; his love endures forever. So we give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds to us. Ever so often we need to stop and reflect on God’s many gracious deeds in our lives. We need to count our blessings. While we may not see many things he has done or is doing we can still know that he is taking care of us. Even in the midst of our trial we can give thanks because we know that he is with us and will deliver us from our distress. For his goodness we praise him and give him thanks.

The greatest gift he has ever given is not the physical things he does for us – even though that is great beyond our ability to understand. The greatest blessing he has given is his Son who was born to die that we might be born again to live. How could we imagine God being made flesh and being born in the humble circumstance of the birth of Jesus? We would think that God coming to earth to be a king would surely be born into this world with pomp and ceremony in some luxurious palace. Yet, in a nasty barn with smelly animals was born the savior of the world and placed in a feeding trough as a bed because there was no room for this humble family at the inn.

In the same unassuming way, this savior wants to come and lodge in our hearts today. Do we have room for him? Are we willing to show him the place of honor that he deserves in our hearts and in our lives?

O God, please come into my heart thru your Spirit. Send him to live in me that I might have his fruit in my life. Help me to open my heart to your bidding and never grieve your Spirit by my stubbornness and selfish ways. Use me to show others your love by perfecting your love in me. Help me to encourage those who are struggling with problems in their lives. Fill me with your peace and joy. I pray in the name of Jesus my savior and Lord.

May God bless each of us as we celebrate the love of Jesus.