Give Thanks!

Psalm 92

A psalm. A song. For the Sabbath day.
1 It is good to praise the LORD
and make music to your name, O Most High,

2 to proclaim your love in the morning
and your faithfulness at night,

3 to the music of the ten-stringed lyre
and the melody of the harp.

4 For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD;
I sing for joy at the works of your hands.

5 How great are your works, O LORD,
how profound your thoughts!

Reflection of Bee:

"Love in the morning" and "faithfulness at night" (v2)... isn't this something we all hope to receive from our loved ones? We wish that they truly love us and are faithful to us all the time. Yet, we heard and saw many broken relationships instead. However, God loves us and is always faithful to us when we put our trust in Him.

Sometimes we may not understand how God works. Recently, I was wondering why God allows us to experience all kinds of relationship, e.g. spouses, children-parents, siblings, friends, etc, when there won't be such relationship anymore when we go to heaven. What is the purpose of all these? I don't understand His thoughts in this, it's too profound for me. However, I trust that I will know the answer by and by when I see Him face to face.


Praise You Lord,
for Your love and faithfulness to me,
for Your Your profound thoughts though I don't understand,
for always see me through in all my down moments.
Thank You in Your most wonderful name. Amen.

Celebrating Disappointment

Psalm 30

A psalm. A song. For the dedication of the temple. Of David. [a]
1 I will exalt you, O LORD,
for you lifted me out of the depths
and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

2 O LORD my God, I called to you for help
and you healed me.

3 O LORD, you brought me up from the grave [b] ;
you spared me from going down into the pit.

4 Sing to the LORD, you saints of his;
praise his holy name.

5 For his anger lasts only a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning.

6 When I felt secure, I said,
"I will never be shaken."

7 O LORD, when you favored me,
you made my mountain [c] stand firm;
but when you hid your face,
I was dismayed.

8 To you, O LORD, I called;
to the Lord I cried for mercy:

9 "What gain is there in my destruction, [d]
in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

10 Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me;
O LORD, be my help."

11 You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12 that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.

Reflection of Bee:


Dear Lord,
Thank You for turning my wailing into dancing too.
Thank You for removing my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.
Thank You for opening so many doors for me when one is closed.
Thank You for leading my life and guiding my career path.
Thank You for preparing me for greater works ahead.
All the thanks I give to You will never be enough to thank You.
May all glory and praise be to You through the works You have done in me.
In Your wonderful name I give You thanks. Amen.

The Great Divider

Luke 23:33-43

33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."[a] And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

35The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."

36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself."

38There was a written notice above him, which read:|sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."

42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[b]"

43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."

Reflection of Bee:

Tonight's devotion is a continuation from that of last night where the fickle followers who had a change of heart wished to crucify Jesus though they could not pin Him down on any crime.

However, one of the two criminals was able to see that Jesus had done nothing wrong (v41). In his faith and humility he asked Jesus to remember him when He comes back again (v42). Jesus confirmed that he would be in paradise with Him (v43).

In the modern day, it is still the same that the number of faithful believers are few. Though many may claimed to be Christians, yet their walk may prove otherwise. But these are the few that will enjoy everlasting life with Christ one day.

Dear Lord,
I pray for more to come to know your love as I share it with those I know. I pray that Your Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of the 3 unbelieving friends I invited for the Good Friday drama tonight. May they come to believe in You soon and enjoy Your love in their life.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Never Lack

Psalm 23 (Amplified Bible)

A Psalm of David.

1THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

2He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.(A)

3He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.

4Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with [a]oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

6Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Reflection of Bee:

I was so thrilled when I saw tonight's passage, as I had been pondering over v1 during my bath before my devotion. So it seems God is confirming with me that I shall not lack or need anything more than I have, regardless of my situation. In fact, when I reflect on the things that God allowed to happen in my life I see God's hands and blessings in disguise.

Yes, whenever I make Jesus "my shepherd" to guide me, I shall not lack. He constantly refreshes me and protects me from harms. Yes he prepares "a table before me in the presence of my enemies". This really takes place. Praise God!

Dear Lord,
I see Your goodness, mercy and love in my life all these years. Thank You very much. I pray again that the things I do, the decisions I make, the words I say will be to Your glory. Guide me, my Shepherd, lead me to Your green pasture.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Rescue And Response

Psalms 107-150

1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say this—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,

3 those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south. [a]

4 Some wandered in desert wastelands,
finding no way to a city where they could settle.

5 They were hungry and thirsty,
and their lives ebbed away.

6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
and he delivered them from their distress.

7 He led them by a straight way
to a city where they could settle.

8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
and his wonderful deeds for men,

9 for he satisfies the thirsty
and fills the hungry with good things.

Reflection of Bee:

Dear Lord,
Thank You that Your love for me never fail and Your kindness never cease. As I look back my life as a little child and now as an adult, I see Your faithfulness in my life. I commit my life to You again tonight... whether I live or die, may my life shows Your love story to others.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

A Lost Art

Colossians 1:9-14

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Bee's Thoughts:

What did Paul pray for the Colossian Christians?

1. knowledge of his will - through all spiritual wisdom and understanding
2. live a life worthy of the Lord - and may please him in every way
3. bearing fruit - in every good work
4. growing in the knowledge of God
5. strengthened with all power
6. have great endurance and patience
7. joyfully giving thanks to the Father

This is a good way to pray for a person, for we all need to cultivate the above attributes.

"give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18

To be able to give thanks to God in all situations requires absolute trust in God... to thank God in spite of heartaches and sorrows, in spite of wanting to crying, in spite of being left alone...

So what can I thank God for? I like the poem below:

It's that time of year, God,
when even the secular world says,
"Stop! Take time to say 'Thanks'."

For what? For whom?
The list is endless.

First of all - there's us.
Alive, energetic, enthusiastic -
both within and without,
bursting with health and movement
in spite of the periodic slowdowns,
joyous that you thought enough of us
to give us the experience of life.
Our lives are vibrant
with the flow of Your energy,
touched, seared
by the Love that is You,
yearning to be to others
what You have been to us.

For us, dear God, we thank You!

Then there are the others,
utilizing their creative powers
to enrich our lives
through fields that feed
and rivers that quench,
through fabrics that clothe
and forests that house,
through presence and absence
through the rhythm of then and now.
Without them we would be isolated,
crouching in our corners of self-sufficiency.
But with them we are invited,
called forth to contribute
of our plentiful harvest
to the sum total of humanity.

For all of them, we thank You!

But, most of all, dear God, there is YOU -
gracious, considerate, understanding,
cleansing, challenging, demanding,
drawing us to Your embrace,
clearing, pruning, breaking,
touching, lifting, healing.
Our destinies lie with You,
for we are the branches
grafted with Your Spirit
onto the vine that zaps its sap
into our beings.

For You, our God, we thank You!
.....Loretta Girzaitis




Yes, God, no matter how sad and painful I feel, no matter how lonely I am, I want to give you thanks. For I know I am "in this transient world of impermanence" and my life is just a "mist"... my suffering is just temporal. I want to thank you for all you have done for me... for hearing my prayers always, for the friends you sent me, for the love I experienced... for you are good. Amen