Learn the Word - Verse #24

I've been working lately on moving past my feelings to follow God's word in all things, at all times. So when I read this verse, two things stand out to me. First, the determination of the "I will". When David wrote this, he was in a cave, fleeing for his life. God had promised him he'd be king...and he was in a cave. Things weren't lining up so well in his God-given destiny at that moment. I can't believe he felt much like being thankful or praising. Yet he determined that he would. That's the same determination we still need in our lives today. No matter what, "I will...." Sometimes we need to force our wills beyond our feelings and simply do the Word of God. Our feelings will follow. They aren't supposed to lead.

Second, what stands out to me is the order. First, we give thanks. Not just a little but with our whole hearts. And while doing that, we don't simply give thanks for the moment we're in, but we remember all our other blessings. All the other moments God has brought us through or delivered victory. It's so important to recount our blessings, to remember God's faithfulness. There's power in speaking victory and life, in recalling God's faithful history with our lives. I think it pulls us into the next part of the verse, being glad, exulting and praising him. And there is a reason for us to do that. Two really, because God's Word also says his joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) so we grow strong, and he inhabits the praise of his people (Psalm 22:3)which means he floods our current situation. I don't know about you, but I want him in the middle of all my moments.

So join me today in not simply committing this verse to memory, but committing it to our ways. In all things, in every situation, even beyond what we are feeling...give thanks.