#97. Priority #1: Worship and Thanksgiving

Published by Ben Stahl on August 17, 2020August 17, 2020

So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she picked up her son and went out.

II Kings 4:37 NKJV

As each of their children approached high school graduation my parents took the family on a celebratory road trip around a portion of the United States. For my older sister’s trip we went west to places like White Sands National Park, Arches National Park, and Carlsbad Caverns to name but a few locales that gave me a love for the vast open spaces the West has to offer. For my trip my father planned an Appalachian Trail theme where we would go up and down the East Coast rafting, hiking, and canoeing, all things I loved to do. One of the highlights of the plan was a hike up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. However, upon arriving at the base of the mountain in somewhat overcast weather and with young siblings, I became very opposed to his plan and rather than thank him for all the work and logistics to give us this great opportunity I complained.

Thankfully, my father did not react to my unthankfulness as I deserved by calling it a day and abandoning the plan but rather he pushed us forward, and all of us hiked to the top of Mt. Washington. Most of the family took a shuttle down the mountain from the summit, but my father and I hiked back down the mountain via a different trail. It ended up being one of my favorite memories and a fantastic time with my family, especially my father, and it gave me a love for the mountains that only continues to grow today. But with these things, I will never forget my sinful attitude and complaining, a mark of sinful men in these last days (2 Timothy 3:2).

We see this attitude around us regularly. Gifts given without even a word of thanks in return. We see complaining in all circumstances whether we have little or we have much. We grumble over the slightest unpleasantness in life and the wicked will even grumble and complain in the hour of their death. When ten lepers were healed only one turned around to thank the Lord Jesus. When the man with the withered hand was healed, many witnesses responding by planning how to destroy Jesus. Ungrateful, unthankful, these are the marks of the world and too often they abide even with God’s people. But such is not to be the case: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Col. 3:15).

Consider the actions of the Shunammite woman whose son had died. Her response to the Lord raising her son may be the greatest lesson she left with us. She did not run into the room and pick up her son with the warmest embrace she had ever given. She did not shout in disbelief and joy at him who was dead now alive again in her home. Before all this, she humbled herself before the Lord and His prophet and gave thanks to the Lord: “So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground…” She was thankful! The Lord who had given her a great blessing restored that blessing to her again, and she did not relish first in the blessing but thanked the Lord who blessed her. She did not worship or praise her son but worshipped and praised the God who gave her son life from the dead!

There is a tremendous lesson here about worship. Why do we make a joyful shout to the Lord, go before the Lord’s presence with singing, remember that the Lord, He is God, remember that He made us and not we ourselves, enter into His gates with thanksgiving, go into His courts with praise, be thankful to Him and bless His name (Ps. 100:1-4)? Why do we do these things and delight to do them? “For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations” (Ps. 100:5).

The Lord has given us life, so the first priority in our lives on day one of the week is to worship the Lord. The Lord has given us new life in Christ, raising our dead souls to life eternal so we give thanks to Him, we bless His name as the highest priority in our life. Before hugging her son, the Shunammite gave thanks to the Lord; how much more ought we give thanks to the Lord in worship as the highest priority of our lives, for He has given us eternal life!

There is a warning here. If we rush in to receive the blessings of the Lord and forget to worship Him as He rightly deserves and calls us to, are we thankful to the Lord? Do we know and understand the great gift that has been given to us? If we neglect the worship of God and choose other things above or before His worship, what does that say about our hearts toward the Lord and giver of life? The dead son of this woman had been raised to life and was sitting up in bed in front of her and she did not first run to him but rather gave thanks to God. Let us joyfully give first priority to the worship and praise of God in our lives who has done all things well. Let us enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name!

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