Daily Things
"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." (Psalm 68: 19 KJV)
Every man on earth must, in some measure, acknowledge the truth of the goodness of God.
"Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness." (Acts 14: 17 KJV)
He gives us "our DAILY bread." (Matthew 6: 11 KJV)
He "gives to all life, and breath, and all things." (Acts 17: 25 KJV)
Seeing the Lord DAILY blesses and gives to us, ought we not to also DAILY return blessing? to DAILY give back to him? to DAILY return thanks?
Wrote the Psalmist:
"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34: 1 KJV)
This is certainly a "reasonable service." (Romans 12: 1) It is not asking too much of creatures, who are so blessed, and undeservedly so, for them to return thanks to God and express their gratitude to him for his manifold blessings. But, sadly, sin has made man selfish and insolent.
Man, in his rebellious state against his Maker, possesses a "vile ingratitude." This is seen in many ways, but mostly in the fact that God is ignored by his rebellious creatures. They do not give him the attention he deserves.
Here are things we should be doing "daily" for the Lord and in view of the daily benefits he heaps upon us.
"And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9: 23 KJV)
A truly "born again" Christian is one who has "abundant life" (John 10: 10). It is not a stagnant life, a life without fruit. Those who have "fallen in love" with Christ cannot help but meditate upon him DAILY and HOURLY. Every breath the Lord gives is returned to him. The Christian "breathes out" prayers, thankful thoughts, and "sacrifices of praise." His service to the Lord is daily and continually. He carries the "cross" of his Master day by day.
"These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." (Acts 17: 11 KJV)
"But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night." (Psalm 1: 2 KJV)
A Christian who has truly "seen" the glory of the Lord and who has truly "tasted" the "good word of God," and "tasted" of "the powers of the world to come" (Hebrews 6: 4,5), and "experienced" the "joy" and "goodness" of the Lord, will not want to remove themselves from this wonderful communion and fellowship, this quiet enjoyment that the soul has when engaged in daily service to the Lord, daily reading and meditating upon his word and enjoying the presence of the Holy Spirit of God.
So, we read of the early Christians, who were doing this very thing.
"And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart..." (Acts 2: 46 KJV)
Our other daily activities as the Lord's friends, as his dear people, are these:
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3: 13 KJV)
"Pray without ceasing." (I Thessalonians 5: 17 KJV)
"So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows." (Psalm 61: 8 KJV)
Friend, are you one who only occasionally thinks about God? who rarely returns thanks to God for his mercy and kindness to you? Do you just play at religion? Do you think that performing a few external religious rites that you are living the life of a Christian? What do you do "daily"? Is God part of it?