And God said, "Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear." And it was so. God called the dry land earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called seas. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:9-10
On the occasion of the anniversary of the United State's birth, it's right that we stop and show our appreciation for what God has done.
That's the way it was over 100 years ago when the great preacher, Dwight Moody, was reading the 103rd Psalm. He came to the verse, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits."
Having read that Scripture to his audience, Moody stopped short, and with a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face said, "You can't remember all o' God's benefits, of course. But that doesn't mean you should forget 'em all, either. Remember some of them."
Well, today, I can't list all of the benefits you and I have received through this wonderful land God has entrusted to us.
On the other hand, we dare not forget all those benefits either. That's why I'd like to encourage you to thank the Lord for the barbecue grill you might use today, as well as the abundance of food you'll cook on it.
Thank You, Lord, for the freedom we enjoy and the responsibility to use it properly.
Most of all, thank the Lord for always being there for us and offering us salvation through His Son's sacrifice.
Moody had it right. "We can't remember all of God's benefits. But that doesn't mean we should forget 'em, either." Take a little time out from the fireworks of today and give the Lord a little thanks.
From a devotion originally written for "By the Way"
THE PRAYER: Dear heavenly Father, You have given us so much. As we come together today to celebrate the birth of the United States, we thank You for the gift of the freedom we have in this land and the spiritual gift of freedom we have through Your Son. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
In Christ I remain His servant and yours,
Pastor Ken Klaus
Speaker emeritus of The Lutheran Hour®
Lutheran Hour Ministries
Today's Bible Readings: 1 Kings 16-18 Acts 13:1-25
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