Welcome to Day 142 of the “Manna for the Mind” devotional! This series is about finding nourishment in the Word of God to get us through the day. In each devotional, I take a variety of scripture passages (typically 1-3 verses each) and build our understanding of what they teach via their context and connecting scripture. My goal is to help you understand how to be the type of human God created you to be.

Today’s passage is 1 Chronicles 16:8. Let’s discuss how we can make God’s commands known to everyone.

1 Chronicles 16:8

NASB	NLT	VOICE
8 Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name; Make His deeds known among his peoples.	8 Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.	8 Give thanks to the Eternal, and call out to Him. Teach the people his deeds.

What do his “deeds” refer to? Deeds are the Hebrew noun alilah (ah-lee-LAH). It refers to an exploit, performance, or opportunity. It talks about something done with intentionality or purpose, either positively or negatively. It could be human action, divine interventions, or the deeds of a nation. The bigger context would have understood these deeds in the context of covenantal relationships.

David tells his audience to give thanks for God’s greatness and share it with those around them. God’s deeds are an intentional opportunity to show the world who He is about and the impact He can have on their lives. This section of 1 Chronicles is all about the song of praise David is singing. Still, it’s also a call to continue searching God for his strength and always look for him. We can call after the different miracles he has performed for our lives and share with those around us how God did those miracles and how this impacted us and our journey through life. What do those miracles mean for you? How have they taught you about who God is?

BREATHE IN:                   God, thank you…

BREATHE OUT:               …for all you’ve done.

Until next time, stay blessed!