2 Samuel 6:13 When those who were carrying the ark of the LORD had taken six steps, he (David) sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.
“When thanksgiving is filled with true meaning and is not just the formality of a polite ‘thank you,’ it is the recognition of dependence” – Billy Graham.
Appreciation and thanksgiving is a beautiful expression of gratitude. ‘The grateful’ don’t grumble, but grumblers are deficient in gratitude. You cannot be both appreciative and astringent. Thanksgiving offering was a voluntary burnt offering to the Lord under the Mosaic Law. It was not a mandate but a voluntary discretionary offering to express their gratitude. Thanksgiving offerings were an earnest expression of admiration and appreciation to the Lord.
David stopped every six paces to offer a bull and a fattened calf when he brought back the lost Ark of the Covenant back into Jerusalem. The Ark was in the home of Obed-Edom, a Levite. The Bible does not give us the distance between the home of Obed-Edom and the tent in Jerusalem but Bible scholars say that the home of Obed-Edom was in Jerusalem. Experts estimate that the total weight of the Ark was about 565 lbs (256kgs)! The Mercy Seat alone was made of one solid slab of pure gold weighing about 100lbs (45kgs). Every sixth step David stopped, submitted, surrendered and sacrificed. The streets of Jerusalem were slathered with the thanksgiving offerings of David. The king did not give thanks in secret but he danced with all his might, on the streets of Jerusalem to invite the presence of the Lord (the Ark), into Jerusalem (vs 14). Jerusalem was a pictorial prophecy of the road to Calvary when Jesus carried the cross bleeding through the streets of Jerusalem to Golgotha.
David in this ‘triumphant thanksgiving trail,’ streaked with thanksgiving offerings of the blood of bulls and calves, teaches us to stop, submit, surrender and sacrifice every step of our way. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:6).
Thanksgiving Offerings:
1. Acknowledge: Stop to acknowledge the Lord in all your ways. Take praise-breaks throughout your busy day. Stop in the middle of your working day to acknowledge the goodness of God. Stop to thank God for everything and everyone around you.
2. Admit: It is important to tell the Lord every so often and to admit that without Him we can do nothing of eternal value. Confess the need for the power of the Holy Spirit to walk in victory.
3. Accentuate: Thanksgiving accentuates the graciousness and goodness of God. Thanksgiving offering honours the Lord. Praise is the vocabulary of heaven and thanksgiving is the dialect of the angels. So as we accentuate the Lord most High the atmosphere in our homes and workplaces will be filled with angelic voices.
Stop, surrender and sacrifice thanksgiving offerings throughout your day. In all your ways acknowledge the presence of the Lord and the ethos and environment will become joyfully aromatic and divinely directed.
Psalm 116:17 To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the Lord.
Prayer: Father God, I will take praise-breaks to acknowledge you and accentuate your greatness. As I glorify you, guide every step of the day. Amen.
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