St. Luke's Blogs

Praise the Lord, all you nations;
    extol him, all you peoples.
For great is his love toward us,
    and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.

Praise the Lord.

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will tell of all thy wonderful deeds.” – Psalm 9:1

The Psalms were written for several occasions. Some were songs written to express the deepest of emotions such as fear, worry, shame, and joy. Others were written to help the faithful worship God. Psalm 9 was written to express thanksgiving to God. This Psalm is written to express praise to a God who has done marvelous things for God’s children.

Psalm 9 was written by David. It was appropriate for David to express his gratitude to God. David was the youngest child of a family who did not have great political power. In ancient Israel, the youngest son had little to no authority, power, or responsibility. When we first meet David, he has been taking care of the sheep… not really a glamorous job…

“…speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.  Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Ephesians 5:19-20

Henry Smith Jr. is a musician and song writer. He has written hundreds of hymns. Of the many songs that he has written, his most popular and most widely published work is the song, “Give Thanks.” Most hymnals, published today, will contain this song. It is simple and powerful.

The lyrics to the song, “Give Thanks” remind those who sing it to lift their thanksgiving to God…

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” -Psalm 136:1

This is one of the most beautiful times of the year. The trees are changing colors. I love the beauty of the new colors that each tree is showing. St. Luke’s has several varieties of trees and each of them are expressing the beauty of the season in a wonderful way. We have several big trees at our home. They provide so much beauty.

The season of fall gives us more than just beautiful leaves on trees…

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” -Deuteronomy 31:8

One of my favorite contemporary Christian musicians is Matt Maher. Matt is a singer/songwriter who has been helping to provide wonderful and thoughtful music for over three decades. He is an award-winning artist, but much more than that, he is a faithful Christian who works tirelessly to connect his faith and music.

Music has the ability to speak into the most exciting and challenging times of our lives. Good lyrics and melody combine to speak into our lives and remind us of the hope we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Of the many songs that Matt Maher has written, one has recently reminded me of the gift we have with a God who loves and cares for us…

You may have been part of this debate. I am sure you have an opinion. You may have expressed your thoughts to a friend, a co-worker, or a neighbor. We are in the middle of this debate at my house. When is the correct time to decorate for Christmas? Should one wait till after Thanksgiving to hang the lights and decorate the tree? Some think that November 1st is an appropriate time to deck the halls. Many department stores put their Christmas Decorations out long before that.  One radio station in Oklahoma City has already switched to playing Christmas music. No matter where you come down on this debate, Christmas is on the way.

Why are people so opinionated about the timing of Christmas decorations? I would like to offer two thoughts…

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,  just as I try to please all men in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” –John 15:13

On the Night of February 15, 1898, there was a large explosion on the USS Maine. This U.S. Navy ship was anchored in the harbor of Havana, Cuba. The explosion led to the sinking of the USS Maine.  266 sailors lost their lives that terrible night. This event would become the final reason that the United States of America would go to war against Spain, who was currently occupying Cuba.

That night, on the deck of the burning Maine, Father John Chidwick, the chaplain assigned to the USS Main, quickly acted to render aid and to try to save of the lives of his shipmates. He worked tirelessly to care for the wounded and minister to the dying. 

Thanksgiving is a significant practice in the life of faith. The Scriptures teach us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)  First, we lift our praise to God. Because God loves us so, we offer our thanksgiving to God. Secondly, we give thanks for the many blessings in our lives. We have so much for which to be thankful. Family, friends, our homes, our work, are just a few examples of the blessings in our lives. The month of November is a wonderful time to be reminded of the practice of gratitude. Thanksgiving opens our minds and our hearts to a greater understanding of the blessings in our lives. 

November is also a wonderful season for football. I love it when both the practice of Thanksgiving and my favorite sport of football come together. DeAndre Hopkins is a wonderful example of a football player who lives out a life of gratitude…