November 26 - Thanksgiving Offering 감사제

November 26 - Thanksgiving Offering 

 

“I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.” – Psalm 116:17

 

 

The psalm writer first thanks the LORD for hearing his prayers and deliverance from death, whether spiritual or physical. The sacrifice could be thanksgiving from the Law or his heart. Psalm 116:1–2 I love the LORD because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, I will call upon him as long as I live. Psalm 116:8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling.

In Leviticus 7:12-13, if he offers it for a thanksgiving, he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil and unleavened wafers anointed with oil. Cakes are mingled with oil and fried with fine flour. Besides the cakes, he shall offer leavened bread for his offering with the sacrifice of thanksgiving for his peace offerings. Psalm 26:7: I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works. The writer realizes that the LORD is his help and calls upon the LORD in prayer to show his faithfulness and trust in the LORD to meet his needs.

Offerings and good deeds should follow Thanksgiving. “I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD” (Psalms 116:17). Israelites gave a thanksgiving offering regularly. We should always remember to give thanks. Thanksgiving is an expression of our heartfelt thanks to God. Thus, thank offerings would not have genuine meaning without our hearts. The Israelites always gave thanks wholeheartedly. They always gave their first fruit of crops, fruits, and animals.

 

Once upon a time, God sent two angels to a church. One was told to collect all the prayer requests in a basket, and the other was to put all the thank offerings in the other basket. The two came up to heaven afterward and looked at the baskets. One basket was full of prayer requests, but the other Thanksgiving basket was nearly empty.

 

The United States observes the last Thursday of November as ‘Thanksgiving Day.’ On September 6th of 1620, Puritans sailed on the Mayflower from England to Boston and arrived at ‘Plymouth’ Rock. Many died on the ship during the two months of sailing. Half of the people died during the first winter from sickness and hunger. The following year, Native Americans taught the Puritans to sow different seeds - corn, peas, wheat, and barley. During that first fall, they had a harvest and worshipped God with their first offering. This is the origin of ‘Thanksgiving Day. They offered thanksgiving for their harvest, spiritual freedom, and blessings. People in every country who fear the LORD are blessed like the Puritans because God watches over them. God blesses families and individuals with a thankful heart. Let us be thankful and give a Thanksgiving offering.

 

“We are profoundly grateful for the blessings bestowed upon us: the preservation of our freedom, so dearly bought and so highly prized; our opportunities for human welfare and happiness, so limitless in their scope; our material prosperity, so far surpassing that of earlier years; and our spiritual blessings, so deeply cherished by all. For these, we sincerely thank God.” - Harry S. Truman.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: As you think of unsaved friends, ask God to “open their eyes and turn them from... the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in [Jesus].”(Acts 26:18). 

Prayer Pointer: Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? – Corrie Ten Boom 

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 36-37; 1 Peter 3

 

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11월 26일 - 감사제

 

“내가 주께 감사제를 드리고 여호와의 이름을 부르리이다” - 시 116:17

 

 

시편 저자는 하나님께서 그의 기도를 들으시고 영육간의 사망에서 구원해 주신 하나님께 감사하고 있습니다. 여기의 감사제는 율법에 따른 감사제일 수도 있고 시편 기자의  마음에서 우러 나온 스스로의 감사의 제사일 수도 있습니다. “여호와께서 내 음성과 간구를 들으시므로 내가 그를 사랑하는도다 그의 귀를 내게 기울이셨으므로 내가 평생에 기도하리이다”(시 116:1, 2). “주께서 내 영혼을 사망에서, 내 눈을 눈물에서, 내 발을 넘어짐에서 건지셨나이다” (시 116:8) 

 

레위기 7:12,13에서, “만일 그것을 감사함으로 드리려면 기름 섞은 무교병과 기름 다른 무교전병과 고운 가루에 기름을 섞어 구원 과자를 그 감사제물과 함께 드리고 또 유교병을 화목제의 감사제물과 함께 그 예물로 드리되” 라고 말씀하고 있고 시편 26:7 에서, “감사의 소리를 들려주고 주의 기이한 모든 일을 말하리이다” 라고 말씀합니다. 시편 기자는 하나님께서  자신의 도움이 되심을 깨닫고 자신의 필요에 도움을 받기 위해 주님의 신실함과 신뢰를 보여 달라고 간청하며 기도합니다. 

 

감사에는 제사와 선한 행실이 따라야 합니다.“내가 주께 감사제를 드리고 여호와의 이름으로 부르리이다”(시 116:17). 이스라엘 백성들은 감사 제물을 정기적으로 하나님께 드렸습니다. 우리도 항상 감사 제물을 드리는 일에 힘써야 합니다. 감사제는 마음속에서부터 하나님께 감사하는 표현인 것입니다. 그러므로 감사하는 마음이 없이 드리는 감사 제물은 순수하지 못하고 진실하지 못한 것입니다. 이스라엘 백성들은 항상 전심을 다해 감사제물을 주님께 드렸습니다. 그들은 항상 그들의 첫 번 수확과 첫 열매, 그리고 짐승의 첫 새끼를 감사제물로 드렸습니다.

 

이런 이야기가 있습니다. 하나님께서 두 천사들을 교회애 내려 보냈습니다. 한 천사에게는 구하는 기도를 담아오라고 하였고, 다른 한 천사에게는 감사의 예물을 담아 오라고 하였습니다. 두 천사가 하늘에 올라온 후에 바구니들을 보았습니다. 한 바구니는 간구하는 기도로 가득차 있었지만 감사 예물을 담은 다른 바구니는 거의 비어 있었다고 합니다. 

 

미국에서 매년 11월 마지막 목요일을 추수감사절로 지킵니다. 1620년 9월 6일 청교도들이 신앙의 자유를 찾아 메이 훌라워호를 타고 영국을 떠나 미국 보스턴 지역 프리머스 해안에 도착 하였습니다. 2개월 간의 항해 중에 많은 사람들이 죽었고, 도착한 그 해 겨울을 지나면서 추위와 굶주림으로 절반이나 목숨을 잃었습니다. 그러나 이듬해 인디언들이 옥수수, 완두 콩, 밀, 보리 등의 씨를 주고, 농사법을 가르쳐 주어서, 그 해 가을에 피땀 흘려 농사 지은 첫 수확을 모아 놓고 하나님께 감사예배를 드린 것이 미국의 추수 감사절의 기원이 된 것 입니다. 청교도들이 감사제를 드린 것은 그들이 거둔 추수 때문만이 아니라 영적인 자유와 축복 때문이었습니다. 주님을 경외하는 모든 사람들은 하나님이 돌보시기 때문에 복을 받습니다. 하나님은 감사하는 마음을 가진 가족과 개인을 축복하십니다. 하나님께 감사하며, 감사의 제물을 드려야 하겠습니다.  

 

"우리는 우리에게 주어진 축복, 즉 우리의 자유를 보존하는 것에 대해 깊이 감사하며, 그토록 값진 값지고 매우 소중합니다. 인간의 복지와 행복을 위한 우리의 기회는 그 범위가 무한합니다. 우리의 물질적 번영은 훨씬 더 이른 해의 번영을 능가합니다. 그리고 모든 사람이 깊이 소중히 여기는 우리의 개인적인 영적 축복. 이에 대해 우리는 하나님께 열렬한 감사를 드립니다." - 해리 S. 트루먼

 

오늘의 기도: 구원받지 못한 친구들을 생각하며 하나님께서 “그 눈을 뜨게 하여 어둠에서 빛으로, 사탄의 권세에서 하나님께로 돌아오게 하고 죄 사함과 나(예수)를 믿어 거룩하게 된 무리 가운데서 기업을 얻게” 하도록 기도하십시오 (행 26:18).

기도 지침: 기도는 당신의 운전대인가 아니면 당신 예비 타이어인가? – 코리텐붐

성경 읽기: 에스겔 36-37장; 베드로전서 3장