Giving Thanks
"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High." (Psalm 92:1)
This is the time of season when Americans stop to consider all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon them, and to give thanks to the Creator for all of His benefits. The emphasis, however, is on being thankful for the abundance of things that we possess. Might I suggest that we learn to be just as thankful for those things which God has withheld? And might I further add that it is important for us to thank God during our trials and hardships?
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1Thessalonians 5:18)
We, as humans, too often become discontented with what we have, and desire to have more. Even when we are blessed with an overabundance of possessions, we crave some new toy or gadget, and take all that we already have for granted. Isn't it strange that the season of thanksgiving is followed by the season of overindulgence and greediness?
God, in His great wisdom, knows that not everything we desire is going to be good for us, and, like any good father, He refuses to give us everything that we ask for. There are times, though, that He will allow it, and usually that thing that we count as a great treasure will become a great curse in the end. The Israelites were fed in the wilderness with bread from heaven, but they soon became tired of the manna and craved meat. God did indeed send them quail to eat, but the quail turned into a curse, and many of the people were slain.
Many years ago, I purchased a used VW window van. I had wanted one for some time, and a neighbor told me where I could buy one for a good price. Without praying about it, or even really talking it over with my wife, I went out and bought the van. It ran like a top all the way home, but the first time I took it out, it stalled out on me, and I had to take it for service. When I got it back, and took it out, something else went bad, and I had to repair it again. This same thing happened just about every time that I tried to drive it until I couldn't afford to keep pouring money into it. At that point, it sat in my driveway for a couple of years. During that time, I tried to sell it even, and could not. Finally, the Lord dealt with my heart, and I humbled myself before Him, and confessed that I should have consulted Him to begin with before making such a major purchase, and that very week a man came to our door asking to buy the van. Through this experience, I began to learn that God wants to be involved in every area of our lives. God knows that there are things that we want that will bring us blessing, and there are things that we want that will not. Our great need is to learn to be content with what we have, and not only content, but thankful. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
When Paul and Silas found themselves in the deepest cell of a Philippian prison, they began to pray, and sing, and praise, and thank God in the midst of their trial. They were in physical pain because of the beating they received, and they were shackled down and locked up, having lost their freedom, and yet they were thankful to God. God, of course answered in a miraculous way, and they were set free, and souls were saved as a result.
Shortly after my wife, Terry, and I were saved, I found myself laid off from my job, and running short of cash. It came to the point where we had just one package of meat left, and no means to purchase more. I remember sitting down to the table with my young family to eat that last bit of meat, and thanking God for that meal that He had given us, and thanking Him that He knew our needs, and would supply them out of the riches of His storehouse. We had just finished our prayer when there came a knock on our front door. When I answered it, a brother in Christ came in carrying a large paper grocery bag. He brought it to the table and said, "I hope I don't offend you, but I was just visiting my father and he needed to clear his freezer to make room for a cow he just butchered, and gave me all of this. I can't use it all, so I wondered if you could." With that, he began pulling out packages of hamburger, and steaks, and beef roasts, etc. To his amazement, we just began praising and thanking our heavenly Father for His care for us.
"I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD." (Psalm 116:17)
"And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing." (Psalm 107:22)
Sometimes, it is important for us to thank God even when we don't feel it, or see anything to be thankful for. When we can put to death our own will, and accept God's path for us even when we don't understand it, and can't see where it is leading; this is truly a sacrifice of praise, and it is well pleasing in the sight of God.
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms." (Psalm 95:2)
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name." (Psalm 100:4)
When we thank and praise our God, we enter into His very presence where we can feel the warmth of His love, and His blessing. This Thanksgiving, I want to be truly thankful for all that I have been given, and all that I have not. And those things that I don't yet understand, He will soon make clear to me as I seek to know His will in all areas of my life. He is ever faithful, and worthy to be praised!
This is the time of season when Americans stop to consider all of the blessings that have been bestowed upon them, and to give thanks to the Creator for all of His benefits. The emphasis, however, is on being thankful for the abundance of things that we possess. Might I suggest that we learn to be just as thankful for those things which God has withheld? And might I further add that it is important for us to thank God during our trials and hardships?
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1Thessalonians 5:18)
We, as humans, too often become discontented with what we have, and desire to have more. Even when we are blessed with an overabundance of possessions, we crave some new toy or gadget, and take all that we already have for granted. Isn't it strange that the season of thanksgiving is followed by the season of overindulgence and greediness?
God, in His great wisdom, knows that not everything we desire is going to be good for us, and, like any good father, He refuses to give us everything that we ask for. There are times, though, that He will allow it, and usually that thing that we count as a great treasure will become a great curse in the end. The Israelites were fed in the wilderness with bread from heaven, but they soon became tired of the manna and craved meat. God did indeed send them quail to eat, but the quail turned into a curse, and many of the people were slain.
Many years ago, I purchased a used VW window van. I had wanted one for some time, and a neighbor told me where I could buy one for a good price. Without praying about it, or even really talking it over with my wife, I went out and bought the van. It ran like a top all the way home, but the first time I took it out, it stalled out on me, and I had to take it for service. When I got it back, and took it out, something else went bad, and I had to repair it again. This same thing happened just about every time that I tried to drive it until I couldn't afford to keep pouring money into it. At that point, it sat in my driveway for a couple of years. During that time, I tried to sell it even, and could not. Finally, the Lord dealt with my heart, and I humbled myself before Him, and confessed that I should have consulted Him to begin with before making such a major purchase, and that very week a man came to our door asking to buy the van. Through this experience, I began to learn that God wants to be involved in every area of our lives. God knows that there are things that we want that will bring us blessing, and there are things that we want that will not. Our great need is to learn to be content with what we have, and not only content, but thankful. "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." (Philippians 4:6)
When Paul and Silas found themselves in the deepest cell of a Philippian prison, they began to pray, and sing, and praise, and thank God in the midst of their trial. They were in physical pain because of the beating they received, and they were shackled down and locked up, having lost their freedom, and yet they were thankful to God. God, of course answered in a miraculous way, and they were set free, and souls were saved as a result.
Shortly after my wife, Terry, and I were saved, I found myself laid off from my job, and running short of cash. It came to the point where we had just one package of meat left, and no means to purchase more. I remember sitting down to the table with my young family to eat that last bit of meat, and thanking God for that meal that He had given us, and thanking Him that He knew our needs, and would supply them out of the riches of His storehouse. We had just finished our prayer when there came a knock on our front door. When I answered it, a brother in Christ came in carrying a large paper grocery bag. He brought it to the table and said, "I hope I don't offend you, but I was just visiting my father and he needed to clear his freezer to make room for a cow he just butchered, and gave me all of this. I can't use it all, so I wondered if you could." With that, he began pulling out packages of hamburger, and steaks, and beef roasts, etc. To his amazement, we just began praising and thanking our heavenly Father for His care for us.
"I will offer to Thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD." (Psalm 116:17)
"And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing." (Psalm 107:22)
Sometimes, it is important for us to thank God even when we don't feel it, or see anything to be thankful for. When we can put to death our own will, and accept God's path for us even when we don't understand it, and can't see where it is leading; this is truly a sacrifice of praise, and it is well pleasing in the sight of God.
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms." (Psalm 95:2)
"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name." (Psalm 100:4)
When we thank and praise our God, we enter into His very presence where we can feel the warmth of His love, and His blessing. This Thanksgiving, I want to be truly thankful for all that I have been given, and all that I have not. And those things that I don't yet understand, He will soon make clear to me as I seek to know His will in all areas of my life. He is ever faithful, and worthy to be praised!
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