Only the Living Give Thanks

Only the Living Give Thanks

Isaiah 38:16 – O sovereign master, your decrees can give men life; may years of life be restored to me. Restore my health and preserve my life. 17 – “Look, the grief I experienced was for my benefit. You delivered me from the pit of oblivion. For you removed all my sins from your sight. 18 – Indeed Sheol does not give you thanks; death does not praise you. Those who descend into the pit do not anticipate your faithfulness. 19 – The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today. A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.

These words were a part of Hezekiah’s prayer for healing.  It’s a passionate prayer containing a significant truth.  Only the living can give thanks to God.  Only the living can tell about God’s faithfulness to the children of the next generation.  

What are we doing with the life we’ve been given?  Let’s take time to give thanks to God.  Don’t put it off.  Don’t take the blessings of God for granted for one day our last breath will be breathed.  Our heart will stop beating and our voice will fall silent; the chance to give thanks and testify of the faithfulness of God will be past.

Are you suffering too much to see God through the pain?  Let others pray for you.  Who knows what orders God will give them.  Concerning Hezekiah – Isaiah ordered, “Let them prepare a poultice of figs and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover” – Isaiah 38:21.

We are all filled with the ulcerated boils of sin – let us make a poultice of the promises of God and apply it to the sin, so that we may be forgiven – and then tell our children that God is faithful with His promises.  He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness – 1 John 1:9.

Thank-you Jesus!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!