Remember God’s light in dark days, His warmth in life’s chills, His smile when the world frowns.
“So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tabernacle that David had erected for it. Then they offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before God” (1 Chron 16:1). At long last! God’s throne was “in the midst of the tabernacle,” in the midst of God’s city, in the midst of His people. In a sense, burnt offerings and peace offerings are opposites, though both were sweet savors to the Lord. What characterized the burnt offering was that it was, well, burnt! It was all for God. The peace offering, on the other hand, was all given to God, but then He gave it back and spread a feast for His people. It was the fellowship offering. Everyone shared in it—God, the offering priest, the priestly family, the offerer, his family, and ceremonially clean friends. In this case, the whole nation celebrated together. David, no doubt with the assistance of the priests and Levites, “distributed to everyone of Israel, both man and woman, to everyone a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a cake of raisins” (v 3). But before they ate, first David “blessed the people in the name of the Lord” (v 2). In addition, “he appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord,” and they were to do three things: “to commemorate, to thank, and to praise the Lord” (v 4). The word “to commemorate” means “to mark so as to remember.” In fact, it is translated that way twice in this chapter. “Remember His marvelous works which He has done” (v 12). “Remember His covenant forever, the word which He commanded” (v 15). When He does some special work in your life, mark it down! When He gives some special word to your heart, mark it down! They say the weakest ink is better than the strongest memory. Mark it, thank Him, and praise His Name!