Today’s devotional comes from Alistair Begg’s A Call to Thanksgiving.

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Joyful Worship

The book of Psalms has been described as a medicine chest for our souls. In it we can find laments for the downtrodden, cries to God in trying times, and offerings of praise and thanksgiving. Whatever ails you, you will find balm in the Psalter.

Woven throughout the psalms of praise in particular is this foundational truth: the Lord is God and we are His. Our very existence as God’s people is an indication of who He is. Once we weren’t a people, but now we are a people. Once we hadn’t received mercy, but now we receive mercy daily (1 Peter 2:10).

The truth of the matter is that we are not our own. We never were. We are image-bearing creatures formed by a mighty Creator. He is the Potter who fashioned us, and “we are his.” Further, we are redeemed sinners, “bought with a price” by a loving Savior (1 Corinthians 6:20). He is the Shepherd who gave His life for us and now tends to us (John 10:11-15), and “we are his.” We are twice-bought: in creation and in redemption, we are His.

Therefore, what is now ours in the Lord Jesus Christ is not an occasion for pride but for praise. Knowing that the Lord is God and that we are His will prompt us to praise and thank Him.

Praise is the spontaneous acknowledgment of what is valuable. People naturally praise what they treasure. God is our Maker and our Redeemer, and He is therefore entitled to and worthy of our praise. No one and nothing deserves your praise more than Him.

Even in less-than-ideal circumstances, we still have reason to praise God simply because of who He is. When we bid farewell to a loved one or we lose a job that provides our earthly comforts, we can still choose to praise Him. When our voices are choked with tears, when our hearts fail us, when our circumstances frustrate us, when life seems to let us down—we may still find in God’s “steadfast love” that “endures forever” (Psalm 100:5) endless reason for joyful worship and thankful praise. He is never less than your mighty Creator and loving Savior.

A thankful heart is a distinctive mark of the Christian experience. Let it mark you today.

Today’s Updates:

Zach has gotten a lot of rest over the past two days – thank you for your prayers! Part of this rest is likely due to the amounts of sedating meds Zach has received. Zach is still running the IV sedation and receiving frequent relaxing medications. When Zach has gotten agitated lately, he’s been inconsolable and no calming techniques or medications will settle him or lower his heart rate until he settles himself. The medical team can’t find any treatable cause for Zach’s agitation as Zach is receiving adequate pain medications, and all other sources of distress have been dealt with (mainly Zach’s collapsed lungs and necrotic hand and feet). The doctor said that she believes Zach’s agitation is because of his anoxic brain injury, and she doesn’t know when or if it will ever resolve. Despite this difficult news, we are glad that Zach has been able to catch up on some rest these last couple of days, and we continue to pray earnestly that Zach’s brain may heal.

The cultures for Zach’s new lung infection came back positive for a bacteria that Zach has fought before. It’s a hospital acquired infection that is not harmful to a healthy person, but as Zach’s lungs are still so sick and vulnerable, he caught the bacteria again. They’re treating him with the right antibiotics, and Zach hasn’t had a fever since. We praise God that the medical team noticed this infection and that Zach is receiving the help he needs to fight it.

Zach is still breathing well with the trach mask, and his chest tubes haven’t had air leaks all weekend, which means that the holes in his lungs are healing. The doctors are happy to see this progress, but since Zach’s lungs are so fragile, the medical team wants to delay Zach’s transfer to Calgary for at least another week. We trust God’s good timing and we are thankful that the doctors are being careful and not rushing Zach’s transfer.

Thank you for your continued prayers. We ask that you thank God with us for Zach’s rest over the weekend, and that you pray particularly that Zach’s brain may heal and that his lungs will be strong enough for a transfer to Calgary someday. We praise the Lord and his perfect plan.

“Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100:3)

“Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendour is above the earth and the heavens. And he has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the Lord.” (Psalms‬ ‭148‬:‭13‬-‭14‬)