Note: Due to travel on Thanksgiving Day we do not expect to post a message tomorrow.

Message summary: We must always remember the Lord and learn the real joy of satisfaction as we secure our hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. The right response to satisfaction should primarily include praise to God!

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"When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land He has given you" (Deuteronomy 8:10). "When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot me" (Hosea 13:6). "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17).

Here in the US we celebrate "Thanksgiving Day" tomorrow. We will be traveling up to the Lehigh Valley to have our big meal with my brother Pat and his family. Thanksgiving should be a day we count our blessings and return thanks to God for all of them. At the heart of it should be a sense of satisfaction, but for many it's not.

Today's verses all refer to physical/material satisfaction. Another topic for another message is the blessing of spiritual satisfaction which is greater by far.

Physical/material satisfaction is a blessing but it can be dangerous. Jesus warned of the "deceitfulness of wealth" (Matthew 13:22). Paul commands "As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17). We do well to heed these warnings. Based on our current living conditions most of us are "rich" compared to the living standards of Paul's day and also in light of living conditions all over the world.

In the first daily text Moses is considering the people of Israel when they were in the promised land. He instructs them (and through Scripture all of us) that praise to the Lord was the proper follow up to satisfaction. As we praise God we recognize the source of everything that brings satisfaction. He specifies "the good land that He has given you". Today and everyday be sure that praise and thankfulness is your response to God's blessings.

Consider the progression in our second daily verse from the prophet Hosea, "When I fed them, they were satisfied; when they were satisfied, they became proud; then they forgot Me".

Fed, then satisfied, then proud, then they forgot God. I ask myself, where am I as an individual in this progression? May it always be, that when God meets my needs I am satisfied, that I give thanks to God and always remember His blessings.

Surely we've been fed, plenty of food for most of us reading this and lots and lots of other material stuff as well. This leads to satisfaction, which is a blessing. But then we have to be on guard against our pride swelling which leads to forgetting God. Ironically this increases dissatisfaction. Instead of being satisfied and content there's just never enough.

Moses warned the people of God some 600 years before the prophet Hosea lived: "Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe His commands, His laws and His decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery" (Deuteronomy 8:11-14).

Today remember the Lord and learn the real joy of satisfaction as we place our hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our sustenance and enjoyment. The right response to satisfaction should primarily include praise to God!


Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, as we go about our day to day routine of eating, building, moving, buying, growing our families and earning a living we must be vigilant to keep You at the center of all our activity. Living for You is to be our main objective so that everything else falls into proper place. As these daily essentials are met we give thanks to You, acknowledging that every single blessing comes from Your Hand. The vast majority place their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but we anchor our hope in You who richly provides us with everything for our sustenance and enjoyment. We are satisfied and give You thanks through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.