Thanksgiving Scripture - Nov 14

Annual Bible Reading Plan:

EZK.38-39
JHN.13

2024 Thanksgiving Month Day 14:
Give Thanks for God Accepting Our Offerings (Psalm 51:16-19)
(Memorize verses 16-17)
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and contrite heart—These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.

Reflection:
At the end of Psalm 51, after David's prayers for forgiveness and renewal of his spirit, he shifts to seek the Lord's acceptance of his and the people's offerings. In his prayer, he asks how he can present offerings that are pleasing to God—referring generally to peace offerings and burnt offerings—indicating his deep longing to restore his communion with God and to offer worship and devotion in His presence after receiving forgiveness! Thank the Lord, for in his prayer, David understood the right attitude of offering—“a broken and contrite heart” is valued by God more than the offerings themselves, and God “will not despise” such offerings. What a blessing, as David's prayer provides us with invaluable insight into offerings! On one hand, we receive the grace of forgiveness from God, and even more so, the redemptive grace of God sacrificing His only Son. We ought to respond with our lives offered to Him in gratitude. On the other hand, in the presence of the holy, righteous, and abundant God, our ability to offer anything is unworthy and can only be made possible through His grace and mercy. Thank the Lord for His incredible love toward us, forgiving all our sins and transgressions, and for accepting our offerings in accordance with His will. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1)



年度讀經計畫

結38-39
約13

2024感恩月Day 14：
為 神悅納我們的奉獻感恩（詩篇51:16-19
(背誦16-17節)

16 你本不喜愛祭物，若喜愛，我就獻上，燔祭你也不喜悅。
17 神所要的祭就是憂傷的靈，神啊，憂傷痛悔的心，你必不輕看。
18 求你隨你的美意善待錫安，建造耶路撒冷的城牆。
19 那時，你必喜愛公義的祭和燔祭，並全牲的燔祭。那時，人必將公牛獻在你壇上。

【心得分享】在詩篇51篇的末尾，大衛在前面求罪得赦免和靈命更新的禱告之後，轉為求主悅納自己和百姓奉獻禱告。他在禱告中求問如何能向 神獻上祂所喜悅的「祭物」（一般指平安祭）和「燔祭」，表明他在罪得赦免之後何等切慕恢復與 神的交通和在祂面前的奉獻與敬拜！感謝主，禱告中大衛明白了正確的奉獻態度—「憂傷痛悔的心」比奉獻的祭物本身更為 神所看重，並且 神也「必不輕看」這樣的奉獻。何等感恩，大衛的禱告帶給我們關於奉獻的何等寶貴的開啟！一方面，我們從 神得著了赦罪之恩，更是 神犧牲愛子的代贖之恩，我們理當以奉獻自己給祂作為感恩的回應。另一方面，在聖潔公義、全有全足全豐的 神面前，我們能向 神奉獻實在是不配的，是靠著 神的恩憐才能獻上的。感謝主，祂竟然這樣愛我們，赦免我們一切罪惡與過犯，也悅納我們在祂心意中的奉獻。「所以弟兄們，我以 神的慈悲勸你們，將身體獻上，當做活祭，是聖潔的，是 神所喜悅的，你們如此侍奉乃是理所當然的。」（羅12:1）