"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done."

I Chronicles 16:8, NIV 

 

The wicked king Saul was dead, and the righteous king David was on the throne. The people had presented themselves to acknowledge their loyalty to David and to God. The holy ark of the covenant had been brought to Jerusalem and the proper worship that God required was being restored. There was celebration and joy in God's holy city.

 

It was morning in Jerusalem! The possibilities were seemingly endless. Their enemies were subdued and it would be more than sixty years before anyone would mount a serious challenge to the safety of the people of God. These people who had been running before their enemies for over a century were now secure, and the reaped the peace that comes from such security.

 

What was it that caused Israel to go from a nation in trouble, to a nation that was now asserting itself as one of the superpowers of the world?

 

They returned to God!

 

And it was morning in Jerusalem!

 

So they praised the LORD!

 

It could be so in our nation again - all we have to do is return to God. This is why we read!

 

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever. Cry out, 'Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name, that we may glorify in your praise.' Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting."

Then all the people said, "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."

I Chronicles 16:34-36, NIV

 

Today is the 24th day of the 30 day challenge to read through the books of the champions and the kings, with I Chronicles 16-22 being the reading for today. May God richly bless your efforts to find His will so that you might enjoy those blessings that He has reserved for the faithful. It can be morning again for you and yours, should you so choose!