Give Thanks
“Oh, give
thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalm 136:1
Over the years I’ve written several stories and poems about
Thanksgiving; some funny and some nostalgic and some spiritual. We
all know why Thanksgiving is a holiday and the history behind it such as the
story of the Pilgrims and Indians so what can I say about Thanksgiving that’s
different? We’ve heard all the sermons about a thankful heart and to give
thanks in all circumstances. Why is it so important to understand scripturally
what thanksgiving means?
In the NKJ version of the Bible, the word ‘thanksgiving’ is used
31 times and ‘give thanks’ is used 75 times. The number of uses seems to give
these words a great deal of importance. Why should we be so thankful
when there are times that nothing seems to work out, nor do we see God’s hand
in action in our lives?
First of
all, we need to be thankful for all the amazing things God has created and all
the things he has done; even giving life to us humans. Psalm 26:7 says, “That
I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving,
and tell of all Your wondrous works.” Where would we be
without the sun and the moon; the oceans, lakes and rivers; the green fields to
grow food; the animals and birds; the fish of the sea? These are the
physical things to give thanks for. Also included in His wondrous
works are spiritual things such as salvation and eternal life; the fruit of the
Spirit, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” Galations
5:22-23
Secondly, Psalm
97:12 “Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, and give thanks at the
remembrance of His holy name.” This scripture is very interesting
because it tells the believer (righteous) that when we remember the Lord,
which should be quite often, we should give thanks! As
a believer, I think about the Lord all through the day, but don’t always say
‘thank you, Lord’ when I do think of Him. And yet the bible clearly
states that we should. I have a feeling if we did that; we would
receive a great blessing as well as a closer walk with Him – the Lover of our
soul.
Thirdly , when
we have a great need we must call out to God, the Father in prayer and
supplication, which most Christians do. However there is one key we
may omit in these prayers.
Phil 4: 6 tells
us what that key is, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by
prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to God.” We may be desperate
in giving God our requests, but how often do we approach Him with thanksgiving
at these times. How often do we become so involved our troubles that
giving thanks never enters the picture?
Fourthly,
we must be thankful to God even when facing death because we love God more than
ourselves, like Daniel did. Daniel 6:10 “Now when Daniel knew
that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his
windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that
day, and prayed and gave thanks before
his God, as was his custom since early days”
Daniel just received the news that anyone found praying to God
rather than King Darius would be thrown to the lions. Was Daniel
just trying to be a martyr? No, he trusted our heavenly Father and
gave him thanks whether or not he survived. Give me that kind of courage,
Lord, to give thanks and rejoice in God, the Father in times of facing illness
or death. That is the mark of a true Believer.
So
this Thanksgiving Day, when we set
down to an abundant table with family and friends, let our Thanksgiving not be
just for the food, but for all God has done for us from the beginning. Be
thankful for His Word [The Bible], because in it you will find everything and
every answer to life’s problems.
This song puts it so well: “Give Thanks”
Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks unto the Holy One
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son.
Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son.
Give thanks, Give thanks.
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