Thanks In Advance
The holidays are officially here!
This past Thanksgiving we celebrated with friends and family and lots of food. Btw: I don’t know about you but I look forward to the leftovers the next day! There’s just something about Thanksgiving leftovers that makes it complete!
As I was sharing my time with my family I was once again reminded of God’s goodness; there’s no other way to put it but that God has been present and He has been more than good and for that I am thankful.
Psalm 50:14 says “Offer to God thanksgiving [towdah] and pay your vows to the Most High”.
Towdah literally means, “an extension of the hand in adoration, avowal, or acceptance.” It is the Hebrew word for “thanksgiving,” as expressed by David in the Psalm above. It is a visible act of thanks or adoration to God by extending the hands to God in reverence while thanking Him for the things not yet received as well as thanking Him for the things already received.
In towdah, the hands are extended forward as if you’re ready to accept or receive something. This is exciting! Are you ready to receive what the Lord has for you?
Towdah is speaking in faith and thanking God in advance for what you have received in faith. I don’t know if you can envision yourself receiving, embracing, and nurturing that what you yet do not have. Regardless of what your reality dictates, take a moment right now and close your eyes. And then extend your hands forward and simply say “Thank you!”. Thank you Lord for what I have and for what I do not have. Thank you for what my eyes are seeing (in faith), thank you because my hands are open to receive what you have for me.
You see, there is a difference when you say those things with your eyes open vs. with your eyes closed. Your opened eyes represent your reality which may look depressing and short of anything you’ve envisioned. However, your closed your eyes represent vision and clarity, it represents faith. What are your eyes seeing?
As we continue the festive holidays and the countdown to a New Year, I encourage you to give thanks in all circumstances. I challenge you to challenge yourself. Let me pose this question: What if God is waiting for you to have a change in attitude and replace it for a heart of gratitude. How different would things be? How different would you be? Remember that a grateful heart is a happy heart. And when we give thanks for what we have now, we are trusting Him for what we will have tomorrow.
In the meantime, continue to extend your hands forward and towdah for what you have and for what you will soon receive.
Be Encouraged, Be Blessed!
~landypf