Daily Devotional for Friday, June 23

The Thanksgiving

“And the cart came into the field of Joshua, a Bethshemite, and stood there, where there was a great stone: and they clave the wood of the cart, and offered the kine a burnt offering unto the LORD,” I Samuel 6:14.

The year 2020 will always be remembered as the year of the pandemic. All who lived through it struggled in different ways. Some were impacted by the sickness itself while others were negatively affected either financially or mentally. But for those of us whose churches had to close their doors for a period of time, I’m sure we can agree, that was the most challenging of all to the people of God.

The Israelites had been in a similar predicament during the time the ark of the covenant had been in the hands of the Philistines. The ark was literally the presence of the glory of the Lord and they had been without it for seven months. Imagine the joy they must have experienced as they looked up and saw the ark of God being pulled by the kine upon a cart. No man was needed to help guide it back; the Lord was in full control. He stopped the ark perfectly at the great stone upon which they would offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving to Almighty God for returning to them.

As God’s people, the Lord may allow certain things to be removed from us for a time so that we will learn to be thankful for what we have. I recall how joyful we were to come back into God’s House to worship in His presence once again. However, we ought to rejoice each and every time we come into His House to worship, praise and glorify our Lord. Do not take the precious gifts God has given for granted. Worship Him always with thanksgiving, love and joy in your heart.

REFLECTION: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15)

Darla Goodrum