His Love Endures Forever

Psalm 136 is an obvious choice as we enter this season of Thanksgiving.  There are 26 verses.  The 1st verse says, "Give thanks to the Lord for He is good ... His love endures forever."  Every subsequent verse expresses a reason for giving thanks.  And each verse (all 26) includes the proclamation, "His love endures forever!"  

Dr. Tim Tennant writes, "Psalm 136 was obviously written for a public act of worship."  Dr. Tennant goes on to remind us that the "love" expressed in this Psalm is not the emotion of love, which we seem to revere.  It is, rather, the continued, repeated, consistent action of love expressed by God throughout the history of the Hebrew people.  In short, God has promised (in covenant) to love His people, and has carried out that love in mighty acts.  God's love means business!

Sunday, we will share that act of worship as we begin and end the service with this Psalm, read responsively.  We will consider this Psalm as we read it in the community of worship.  We will hold it in our hearts as we leave the Henry County Courthouse lawn at 3:30pm and travel to Abbeville High School. Abbeville Christian Academy, Abbeville Elementary School, Abbeville Boys and Girls Club, and the Abbeville/Henry County Governmental Complex.  We will share this time of Thanksgiving as we join in worship at 5pm in the Abbeville Methodist Church Sanctuary and worship, testify, pray, sing, and live in the light of Jesus together.  We will thank the God who provides as we gather to break bread at 6:15pm in the Abbeville Methodist Family Life Center.

Other things will also happen this Sunday.  We will miss our football games ... or will we (how can we be sad if something eternal happens to displace something temporal)?  We will miss our Sunday afternoon rest ... or will we (in Scripture, rest means completion/fulfillment, and we will be completed in our participation)?

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good ... His love endures together!  AMEN? AMEN!