Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:1

Yesterday we looked at the importance of being thankful. Today we will focus on the object of our thanks, the Lord.

In the prophet Jeremiah’s time, Israel had turned to other gods to help them. They included God Most High, but he was only one of several they relied on. My paraphrase of what God tells the Israelites in Jeremiah 10 is, “Hey! Don’t you see you’re worshipping something worthless? A craftsman shaped it and tried to make it look holy by covering it with silver and gold. It can’t speak or walk. It can do you harm nor good because there’s no life in it at all.”

We may fool ourselves thinking we are too educated or civilized to fall for that. I have seen idols in the homes of highly educated and successful people. I have also spoken with a man who believed crystals possessed special energy. Growing up, it was common to carry a rabbit’s foot for good luck.

Some people repeat a mantra hoping to invoke blessings over themselves. Unless the words are from the Holy Scriptures, they have no power for good.

Do we rely on other people? Or our nation, our military, or our economy? It may be ourselves we put our faith in. My strength, my intelligence, my status, my wealth, my holiness.

This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast in their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on the earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Do you know the Lord? He wants to know you. Only he can save. The Lord is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King…(Jeremiah 10:10).

Terri