Lessons about Thanksgiving from a Cave

Robby Pollard, Lead Pastor

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“…a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness…[a day] to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks…” George Washington

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What’s you favorite place to celebrate Thanksgiving?

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Psalms 57:1

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miriam of David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

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1 Samuel 16:2

²And Samuel said, “How can I go? If Saul hears it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’

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1 Samuel 16:7, 13

⁷But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.”

¹³Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

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1 Samuel 16:18

¹⁸One of the young men answered, “Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, who is skillful in playing, a man of valor, a man of war, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence, and the LORD is with him.”

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1 Samuel 18:6-9

⁶As they were coming home, when David returned from striking down the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments. ⁷And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands.”

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1 Samuel 18:6-9

⁸And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” ⁹And Saul eyed David from that day on.

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1 Samuel 18:25

²⁵…Now Saul thought to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines.

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1 Samuel 18:28-29

²⁸But when Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal, Saul’s daughter, loved him, ²⁹Saul was even more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy continually.

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1 Samuel 19:1

¹And Saul spoke to Jonathan his son and to all his servants, that they should kill David. But Jonathan, Saul’s son, delighted much in David.

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1 Samuel 22:1-2

¹David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. ²And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

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Psalms 57:1-11

¹Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. ²I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. ³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

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Psalms 57:1-11

⁴My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts—the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. ⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! ⁶They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah ⁷My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! ⁸Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! ⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. ¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. ¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

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To whom should we give thanks?

When should we give thanks?

For what should we give thanks?

What enables us to give thanks?

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To whom should we give thanks?

The Lord.

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Psalms 57:9

⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

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God (v 1, 2, 3, 5, 11) - Elohim

God most high (v 2) - Elohim elyown

God (v 2) - El

Lord - Adonai

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“The worst moment for an atheist is when he feels a profound sense of gratitude, and has no one to thank.” - G.K. Chesterton

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Hebrews 11:6

⁶And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

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Psalms 57:9

⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

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When should we give thanks?

Always.

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Psalms 57:1

¹Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.

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Psalms 57:3

³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

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Psalms 57:4

⁴My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts—the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.

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Psalms 57:6

⁶They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah

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Psalms 57:9

⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray without ceasing, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

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For what should we give thanks?

Everything.

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“Can you thank me for trusting you with this situation, even if I never tell you why?” - Dr. Helen Roseveare

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What enables us to give thanks?

The sovereignty of God.

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Psalms 57:2

²I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

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Psalms 57:3

³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

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Psalms 57:10

¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

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Psalms 57:3

³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

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Psalms 57:10

¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.

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Psalms 100:5

⁵For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

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Psalms 57:2

²I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.

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Psalms 57:3

³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah

God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!

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Psalms 57:5

⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

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Psalms 57:7

⁷My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!

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Psalms 57:9-11

⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations. ¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. ¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!