The idea behind having a day for thanksgiving, as North Americans do, is an excellent one. It is a day set aside when individuals stop to reflect on the goodness of God, and with a grateful heart, thank Him for His many blessings. It is a day shared with family and friends, a festive occasion for most, topped off with the traditional thanksgiving dinner. However, once the day is past, it is easy to go back to things being business as usual. Yet while it is wholesome to pause, reflect, and give thanks on the day, it is even better to do it every day.
A common theme in the Psalms is giving thanks to God. In five of them we read "O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever" (106:1; 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1), words echoed from 1 Chronicles 16:34. It is interesting to note the reason we are admonished to give thanks to God - "for his mercy endureth forever". The blessings we receive from God are all the result of His mercy, and so even before we start listing the things for which we are thankful, we have to begin with his mercy. Jeremiah reminds us "It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is [his] faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23, KJV).
In his first letter to the Christians in Thessalonica, Paul wrote, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (5:18). Many sermons have been preached on this text, but it is a constant reminder that we should give thanks in all situations. It is easy to be thankful in and for the good times, and for benefits that are to our immediate advantage, but harder to do so when everything seem bent out of shape. Yet even in those difficult circumstances we should give thanks, because in the midst of our thanksgiving are the seeds for our breakthrough.
As we go through today, and the rest of our days, let us do so with hearts of thankfulness to God. And while doing so, let's not forget to thank him most of all for his "unspeakable gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15), our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
No comments:
Post a Comment