At this time of the year our minds should focus on the blessings that we have from the hand of God, but the Scriptures tell us that there is another side to this picture. Psalm 100:4 says. “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and BLESS His name.” Psalm 103:1 says, “BLESS the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, BLESS His holy name. BLESS the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” Psalm 104:1 says, BLESS the Lord, O my soul, You are very great; You are clothed with honor and majesty.”
To BLESS God simply means to give Him praise and to honor His name. The Hebrew word translated “bless” literally means to kneel, which is one way to honor the Lord. Blessing God is an appropriate response to His greatness and His love for us. When Psalm 103 tells us to not forget all His benefits, a list of some of those benefits is given. He forgives our iniquity, He heals all our diseases, He redeems our life from the pit, He crowns us with steadfast love and mercy, He satisfies us with good so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
From the earliest Biblical accounts, God has called people to honor Him with acts of worship. The law of Moses instructs people to worship and bless the Lord. The Psalms are filled with commands to bless the Lord, like in Psalm 134:1, 2, which says, “Come bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord! Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!” Psalm 135:19, 20 says, “O house of Israel, bless the Lord! O house of Aaron, bless the Lord! O house of Levi, bless the Lord! You who fear the Lord, bless the Lord!”
In the New Testament, Jesus instructs those who worship Him in John 4:24 to “worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Paul writes in Colossians 3:16, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thanksgiving in your hearts to the Lord.” In Ephesians 5:18-20, Paul says, be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart, giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. As Thanksgiving Day comes around again for another year, let’s all be absolutely sure as God’s people to BLESS THE LORD!
Larry R. Steffee is pastor of the Center Hill Brethren In Christ Church on Miller Road in Smithville. Everyone is welcome to attend. For informa-tion, you may email lrsteffeetn@yahoo.com.
