THANKS BE TO GOD!

by Brian Casey

A brother once wrote to me asserting that when Mary washed Jesus' feet, it might have been "worship," but not "New Testament worship."

I think the comment belies an understanding that is at best inadequate and at worst leads to God's disappointment. Mary's action was New Covenant worship in that through it, she adored the God-Man who came to establish said Covenant. Her action still serves as one example of things that God finds pleasing as He bends toward people who feel a deep sense of gratitude for His grace.

When we perpetually realize what God has done for us in His consuming passion for people, how can we but thank? How can we but praise? How can we but worship?

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" In this (Nov. 1996) edition of PP, please share with us some worship thoughts which express important truths about thankfulness and which lead us Godward in gratitude.

"Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, 'Thus far has the LORD helped us.'" (1 Sam. 7:12)

It's a shame that ol' Ebenezer Scrooge seems to have gained a monopoly on that name. "Ebenezer" should have signified such a  positive concept! Perhaps we can think of "thanksliving" as proceeding on a steady course of raising Ebenezers here and there, wherever we recognize that God has brought us safely to this point. -bc

Here I raise my Ebenezer.

Hither by Thy help I've come.