Download I want to call your attention to Psalm 136 today_ as I ask you to help

GIVE THANKS_ HIS POVE ENDURES FOREVER
A SEASON OF GRATITUDE_ 1
I want to call your attention to Psalm 136 today_ as I ask you to help with a responsive reading. Your
part is pretty easy. It’s basically 4 words repeated 27 times_ "His love endures forever."
1
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. "His love endures forever." 2 Give thanks to the God of gods. "His
love endures forever." 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords: "His love endures forever."4 to Him who alone
does great wonders, "His love endures forever." 5 who by His understanding made the heavens, "His love
endures forever." 6 who spread out the earth upon the waters, "His love endures forever." 7 who made the
great lights-- "His love endures forever." 8 the sun to govern the day, "His love endures forever." 9 the
moon and stars to govern the night; "His love endures forever." 10 to Him who struck down the firstborn of
Egypt "His love endures forever." 11 and brought Israel out from among them "His love endures
forever." 12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm; "His love endures forever." 13 to Him who divided the
Red Sea asunder "His love endures forever." 14 and brought Israel through the midst of it, "His love
endures forever." 15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea; "His love endures forever." 16 to Him
who led His people through the desert, "His love endures forever." 17 who struck down great kings, "His love
endures forever." 18 and killed mighty kings-- "His love endures forever." 19 Sihon king of the Amorites "His
love endures forever." 20 and Og king of Bashan-- "His love endures forever." 21 and gave their land as an
inheritance, "His love endures forever." 22 an inheritance to His servant Israel; "His love endures
forever." 23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate "His love endures forever." 24 and freed
us from our enemies, "His love endures forever."25 and who gives food to every creature. "His love
endures forever." 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven. "His love endures forever."
The book ends of this Psalm are “Give thanks to the LORD.” and “Give thanks to the God of heaven.”
Now, according to this Psalm, what do you suppose the primary reason for doing that is? "His love
endures forever."
Now, God’s love may be a bit easier to identify in the first 9 verses. This passage clearly says that
His love endures in what He has made. He made the heavens, the earth and the seas, and the sun
and moon to govern the day and night. And the resounding declaration is that that it is proof that His
love endures forever. His motivation for creating it all was love. Love for who? For you and me. It
may have lost some of its luster because of man’s sin and neglect, but the traces of God’s love are
still plain enough to see. Look around and you won’t be able to help but see. (Share the deer
illustration_) Give thanks to the Lord for He is good_ and His love endures forever!
Now, according to verses 10-20 God’s love endures in His mighty acts of deliverance. David cites God’s
rescue of His children from Egypt and His protection of them in the wilderness as an example. Yet,
unless you were the ones being rescued, love may not be what you would’ve perceived. God didn’t
merely slap the wrists of the enemies of His children. He destroyed them_ kings, armies, women and
children. The atheist has a field day with this. God is so loving that He killed people? Yes, if they
threatened His children. Think about it a moment. If heaven forbid, someone should break into your
home in the middle of the night with intentions of kidnapping or harming your children or
grandchildren_ what would be “the loving thing” to do? Try to talk some sense into the intruders;
hope to reason with them? After all, the worst that could happen is that they’d kill you_ and leave
your family defenseless.
Be thankful that your Father in heaven would take out anyone who would try to harm His family. I
cannot say how many times, God has rescued you. We may not know this side of heaven when He
intervened and saved us from our enemy_ be it sickness, injury, or death. (Duncans) I know this, if
He never intervened again, the fact that He sent Jesus to rescue us from the hands of Satan should
be proof enough that He is our deliverer and defender. Consider His divine protection and give
thanks to the Lord_ for He is good and His love endures forever!
Oh, by the way_ God is good and gives food to every creature. Jesus tells us in Luke 12 that a loving
God feed the ravens. What do they eat? Well, they’re carnivores. Chew on that awhile_ pun
intended. God’s love endures beyond what we call the fall_ and it is evident to those who are open
to see it. It endures forever.
The last section tells us that God’s love endures in our inheritance. The context refers to the holy land.
God promised that land to His people after crossing the Jordan. They had it taken from them several
times because of their rebellion against God_ but, God was always faithful to return it to them. Yet,
God has always had more in store for His children than a physical place with physical borders and
boundaries. The inheritance He provides is an eternal kingdom. Oh, we’re talking about heaven?
Yes, and no. God’s kingdom is neither reserved to a piece of property on earth or a home in the
clouds. David understood the concept when he said in Psalm 142:5: “I cry to you, Lord and I say, ‘You
are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living.’” Hear that? God was His portion_ His inheritance.
In Luke 17:20-21, we read: “Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would
come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, nor will people say,
'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you." Some translations render the last
phrase as “the kingdom of God is among you." It matters little. The point is that more than anything
else, the kingdom of God has to do with a relationship with the King_ and He was standing right
there in their midst.
Question: Is He among us right now? Is He within you? If so, do you realize how blessed you are.
Do you realize how much God loves you? You see, your inheritance is Him! The Lord God said in
Ezekiel 44:28: “I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in
Israel; I will be their possession.” Let that sink in. If you were them would you be disappointed? Would
you rather have a deed to a chunk of land or a birth certificate identifying you as a child of God?
According to 1st Peter 2:9, we are a kingdom of priests: Listen: ”You are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called
you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” We belong to God and he belongs to us. We live in a
kingdom of light_ where love and joy and peace are as freely available as the air we breathe.
Give thanks to the Lord_ for He is good and His love endures forever!