You will make them as a blazing oven
when you appear.
The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,
and fire will consume them.
10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth,
and their offspring from among the children of man.
11 Though they plan evil against you,
though they devise mischief, they will not succeed.
Thanksgiving was instituted as a national holiday in 1863 but it was first celebrated on these shores by a church from Scrooby, England, who gave thanks to almighty God in 1621 for his provision in dire times. Abraham Lincoln made it official during the Civil War, dire times indeed. David wrote Psalm 21 after similar dire times, after a battle. J. M. Boice connects 20 and 21 as a song of praise for God’s destruction of David’s enemies. David could have claimed the praise for himself but, as a man after God’s own heart, he sought to worship the Lord in song. David’s faith in times of fear is inspiring.
It is easy to give thanks after the storm but how good are we at thanking God during the storm and even praising him for the storm? That is a taller order for us because our default mode is fear in dire times, not faith. Only those who have met the Lord, have seen his provision, and have witnessed his power, can go into battle praising God because they know he is there with them. Today, in the battle between fear and faith, may we praise God that he is the wrathful, yet merciful God of all the earth.
Dear Lord, thank you that you are victorious and that you allow us to share in the bounty of your power. May we never fear the world again. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church