“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his
presence with singing! Know that the LORD,
he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the
sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with
praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness
to all generations” (Psalm 100:1-5)
There are so many ways that November encourages
thankfulness in our hearts. We are all thankful for the prospect of cooler
weather and the changing colors in nature around us. We might be thankful for
the chance to enjoy football, hunting, employing our culinary skills or
sampling the culinary skills of others. Someone might be thankful that they can
finally drag out the Christmas decorations and enter into a busy season of the
celebration of Jesus’ incarnation. More than anything, I’ll personally be glad
when November 8th comes and this election cycle passes. I am
sincerely hoping that it will pass without too much residual damage occurring
in the Body of Christ (Galatians 5:15).
Concerning the holiday of Thanksgiving and the practice
of thankfulness here are some important truths:
1. Being thankful
is an impediment to idolatry. In 1 Corinthians 10:10 grumbling is
identified with the Israelites’ drift into idolatry while Moses was on Mt.
Sinai. Grumbling takes our eyes off God and puts them on our circumstances and
quick-fix-idols that make life infinitely more complicated than trusting God
and waiting on God.
2. Being thankful
is an important aspect of worship. Just as grumbling will take our eyes off
the true God, thanksgiving causes us to remember the One who is the source of
all our joy and blessings. Thankfulness flows out of our appreciation for God’s
providential care. G.K. Chesterton said, “The worst moment for an atheist is
when he is truly thankful and has no one to thank.”
3. Being thankful
engages our hearts in prayer. Thanks to God is expressed in prayer. Prayer
is the medium that we use to give expression to our thanks. Therefore,
thankfulness helps to keep us in God’s orbit.
4. Being thankful
combats our tendency to destructive selfishness. Being thankful takes our
eyes outward away from ourselves and fixes them on God’s goodness.
Self-centeredness is a soul wearying burden. True altruism and active goodness
toward others always is ultimately an expression of being a God-focused person.
5. Being thankful
keeps us emotionally healthy. Again, nothing is more tiresome than
attempting to carry around the baggage of a negative spirit. There is so much
in life that is really beyond our control, but that is not true with our
attitude. I can choose how I will respond to disappointment, hardship, loss,
and suffering. Job may be the most ancient book in Biblical literature. One
reason it is so memorable, is the lead character’s response to hardship. Job 1:21, “And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s
womb, and naked shall I return. The LORD
gave, and the LORD has taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Being thankful
isn’t just about receiving good from the Lord; it’s also recognizing God’s
goodness at ALL times and responding to Him with a worshiping heart!
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