Kotzebue - Week 4 (18)

What does it mean to be Thankful?

I had a few opportunities to do some reflecting this week on the yeartext for 2015: "Give thanks to Jehovah, for he is good." These words are taken from the 106th Psalm verse 1.

With the idea of being Thankful, lets go back 101 years to the year 1914 notice what the 2014 yearbook helped us appreciate regarding that time:

"By year’s end, the Messianic Kingdom had been firmly established in the heavens, and some Bible Students thought that their work was done. Little did they know that they were about to enter a period of testing and sifting. The yeartext for 1915 was “Are ye able to drink of My cup?” based on Matthew 20:22 in the King James Version. The “cup” Jesus was referring to included the trials that he would face up until his death. The Bible Students were about to face trials, both from within and from outside their ranks. Their response to those trials would prove their loyalty to Jehovah."

Very powerful and timely words I'm sure you would agree. Next, notice what's said further as found in our 2015 yearbook regarding that noteworthy year of 1915:

"Then, as now, it was important for Christians to remain focused on Kingdom interests. “We who are now awake should be very active and energetic in the service of God,” stated The Watch Tower of February 15, 1915. God’s servants needed to remain alert. The Watch Tower continued: “We are to watch. What should we watch? Preeminently we should watch ourselves, to keep ourselves from the snares of the present time.”"

If that was true some 100 years ago isn't all the more so applicable to the times in which we live now in the final part of these days?

To further add to this thought of Thankfulness if we look in the book of Deuteronomy 33rd chapter and verse number 25 we are told in the latter portion of that verse: "...And you will be secure all your days."

Now in context we see that in verse 1 Moses is speaking to the Nation of Israel for what will be the last time before he dies and they cross into the Promised Land without him. Notice in that verse he is called "the man of the true God".

He was building their faith and comfidence for the trials and tests that would lie ahead of them. They would be made to feel "secure" by the Strength of Jehovah. How do we know this?

In verse 27 we read: "God is a refuge from ancient times, His everlasting arms are beneath you. And he will drive away the enemy from before you, And he will say, ‘Annihilate them!’"

Imagine how comforting those words would be to the Israelites in the days of their Journey  We too can feel "secure" and put trust in our "refuge" even in the wicked days in which we live on our Journey to the New System of Things

Notice how this is even more surely and truly shown in verse 29. There we read: "Happy you are, O Israel! Who is there like you, A people enjoying salvation in Jehovah, Your protective shield And your majestic sword? Your enemies will cringe before you, And you will tread on their backs.”

Yes we are Happy. We are "a people enjoying salvation in Jehovah." Think about what that means for a moment. Our happiness doesn't come from this world or external forces. These things don't dictate our true Happiness. But, we could use the expression, it's an "inside job" for us. It's in Jehovah. What though of this expression, "protective shield"?

Imagine a Large Shield that has been carefully crafted and made for battle. Now take this sheild and let's imagine that the soldier it was given to perhaps used it for a table for his family to eat from. Would that shield be being used? The answer is Yes. It does serve a good purpose as a Table. You could use it for a table and it wouldn't be wrong in and of itself. But now, is that the proper use of the shield? There we can see the difference. A shield is only as good as it is used for its proper purpose. If you have a shield for a battle yet fail to put it to good use, then that shield has not been used for that which it was made originally.

The application for you and I is this: Jehovah's shield is for a protective purpose but if we fail to keep ourselves under it and avail ourselves of the proper use of it, then we have missed the point of His Protection. May that never be the case with each of us. What about this "majestic sword" He has? It's interesting that the expression "majestic" is used here. Previously in translation, the adjective used to describe this sword of Jehovah was "eminent" or prominent, distinguished, noteworthy, lofty. Now we see the word "majestic" is used. Meaning: of lofty dignity, stately, grand. Don't these descriptive words, help us to be drawn ever Thankfully closer to our Good God and Father Jehovah?

We can each agree that this beautiful and timely provision for us as "his people" is so very vital for our lives in these critical last days.

My prayer is that each one of us continue to find reasons every single day we live, breathe, move and exist not just this year but for all eternity, to be Happy to "Give thanks to Jehovah" our God, our Creator, our Father, our Friend. Reflecting on the beautiful protection we have as His People today and turning our sights to the Grand blessings you and I enjoy now and look forward to come in the near future, truly we have All the reason to Praise Him, "for he is good."

With Warm Love and Best Wishes,

M. J. Penfield

Alaska Fact of the Day: Alaska boasts the northernmost (Point Barrow), the easternmost (Pochnoi Point on Semisopochnoi Island in the Aleutians), and the westernmost (Amatignak Island in the Aleutians) points in the United States. (See attached)