In 1864 this man, Folliett Pierpoint, had a very simple poem “For The Beauty Of The Earth” published in a second edition collection of hymn lyrics in England. Sung to a tune written 30 years prior, it became his most well known hymn.For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth,
over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.
It is a beautiful little song walking humbly through life and intentionally thanking God for all the good things He gives us. The song isn’t sung much anymore because of its repetitive tune and many, many verses, but apparently, this guy just had a lot to be thankful for! We are gently reminded to be grateful for nature, for human love, for church, for Jesus and for all the other things our loving God chooses to give us. It is true we all have much to be grateful for.
It is true – we do have so very much to be grateful for. And yet there is one thing for which we must be grateful beyond all else. Open your Bibles to Psalm 107. This psalm, like many others, was an anthem used to lead the people to worship. Scholars speculate as to when it was written but it is most likely this was a hymn composed after the Israelites returned from exile in Babylon. There is one grateful theme running through the whole thing...
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.
Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humanity, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humanity, for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.
Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities. They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humanity. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.
Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters. They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep. For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves. They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away. They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for humanity. Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.
He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so! Speak up for what matters most!
I have been redeemed. I have been rescued. I have been bought back from the pit at a very high price. I have been set free. Exponentially more important than anything else I’m grateful for, I am grateful for my redemption. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
A few weeks ago, I declined to participate in an interfaith thanksgiving service here in Northeast Minneapolis. While I genuinely enjoy working together with brothers and sisters in other denominations and I understand the importance of interacting and maintaining relationships people of other faiths, I wasn’t interested in participating in any sort of religious service which would not allow me to very explicitly express my gratitude to Jesus for my redemption. Sure, I can participate in things without mentioning the name of Jesus, but why? Why would I muzzle myself about the single most important engine of gratitude in my life?
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
My redemption is at the very core of my gratefulness. Jesus Christ is my redemption. I am grateful for countless blessings from God, but the single most important blessing is the precious blood shed for me on the Cross – the price for my freedom. This ancient psalm tells the story of my life and yours. In many ways, I was wandering in the desert, hot and thirsty, and God delivered me. In many ways, I have been locked up in prison darkness and Almighty God broke my chains. In countless ways, I have been a prodigal suffering the fruits of my rebellion and the Forgiving Father sent His Word to me and welcomed me. In all sorts of ways, I’ve been tossed around on the ocean and Almighty God calmed the storm. I have been in all sorts of bad places and God has constantly brought me back. I have been redeemed.
Give thanks to God; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
I am grateful for the blessings of being born American. One of the many reasons I enjoy road trips is the country I get to ponder as I drive by. I get to drive on relatively smooth, well maintained roadways in my temperature controlled, fuel efficient car; listening to music, sports or the news of the day on my radio or CD player. At any time along the way, I can stop and enjoy any kind of meal or entertainment I wish. And now I have a little GPS device which keeps me from getting lost in even the most confusing of places. I love, I adore my country. I love almost everything about this country. We are staggeringly blessed to live in this place.
But countries come and go, don’t they?
I love my family. I love my wife, I love my girls – I’m going to thoroughly enjoy our Thanksgiving time together this week, even though it pains us Tesia won’t be with us. I love my parents and my brother and sisters. I love being together with them. While no family is ever perfect, I love my family. I am wildly grateful for my family.
But families come and go, don’t they? We are blades of grass appearing for a while…
I love my job. While many aspects of what I do are difficult and demanding, I love being paid to do something I care about. I love studying the Bible. I love teaching. I love seeing the lights come on when the Holy Spirit moves in someone’s life. I love seeing people jump forward to practice what we’re all preaching here. I love my job.
But jobs come and go, don’t they? Even church jobs…
Our gratefulness must be rooted in something exponentially deeper than the material blessings God allows us to enjoy. Our gratefulness must be driven by our redemption. I am grateful I am allowed full access to God. I am grateful for the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life. I am grateful for forgiveness. I am grateful for the door flung wide open for me by the Cross. I am grateful for the first resurrection, for by it we anticipate our own resurrection.
Give thanks to God; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
Last week, in our Leftovers In The Lounge Bible study, we came across Ephesians 2:11-12, where the Apostle Paul encouraged his friends to remember what they were before Christ found them, before God redeemed them and grafted them into His family. Don’t forget how things really were before your redemption. Don’t forget what it felt like to be on the outside looking in – separated from the source of life. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew people were frequently told to remember what it was like to be slaves in Egypt or to be wandering in the wilderness. God did not preserve instructions like these that we might continue to wallow in the guilt of what we once were. God simply calls us to remember what we were so that we will be properly and eternally grateful for we now have – persistently grateful for our redemption.
Give thanks to God; His love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
Stop hiding your source of hope from the world around you. Stop holding gratefulness hostage to superficial stuff that doesn’t matter. Stop diluting the true source of delight.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
In the book of Job, we find a man with fewer reasons for earthly gratitude than almost anyone in the Bible. A good man, praised by God himself, caught in the middle of a mostly inexplicable spiritual battle between God and Satan, Job lost everything of value. He lost every blessing for which most of us will gather around the table this week. He loses all possessions, friends, health, family, status – he lost everything. Yet right in the middle of his suffering, right in the middle of his deprivation, Job said something stunning. In Job 19:25, he said “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth.” I know I have a Redeemer and I know when all this junk is over, come what may, my Redeemer lives! Another translation of this verse reads “I know that my Defender lives, and that in the end he will stand upon my grave.” Frankly, I don’t know how all this earthly stuff is going to go, but I know I have someone on my side and when I die, when I am laid down, He will stand up for me.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so! Speak up this Thanksgiving for what really matters for eternity. Always be prepared to give an account for the hope that is within you. Focus on what really matters this Thanksgiving and speak up! Shout the praises of our God! Shout the name of Jesus from the rooftops! Let the redeemed of the LORD say so!
I was lost and now I’m found. I have been redeemed and I am grateful for it.
We have been given the beauty of the earth and the glory of the skies. We have been bathed in the love of God from birth. We have been blessed beyond all possible measure. And beyond all that, we have a Redeemer and we know in the end he will stand upon the earth!
For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth,
over and around us lies.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.
Amen.
