A Time to Be Thankful
We read in Psalm 100, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the lands! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3 Know that the Lord is God! It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, bless his name! 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures for ever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
They say that everybody acts more friendly around thanksgiving. Everyone lightens up a bit. We don’t mind the long lines at the stores. We are a little more gracious in traffic. We also have a tendency to link thanksgiving with Christmas. The morning after thanksgiving will mark big sales. In fact I would bet that sometime in the evening on Thanksgiving Day you will see Christmas promotions, sales and some will probably get that tree up right away.
Choosing to give thanks to God is a conscious choice we all have to make. I learned early on in life that you should always find something to be grateful for in every situation. Tough spots in our lives build our character better than the times of ease and triumph. Because it is in those times that God teaches, God molds and God forms our hearts.
The most important thing you can know is that God is in control. Vs 5 “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” That’s why we should have an attitude of thanksgiving. This text even gives some specifics.
Enter His courts with thanksgiving, Praise Him, Give Him the Honor he deserves.
Offering thanks means that we have to acknowledge a force greater than ourselves. It means that we have to recognize that we are not in control but that God is.
If we are truly thankful and want to show it we will express gratitude in every area of our lives. Instead of offering complaints when someone makes a mistake we will offer compliments and help where needed. And instead of hiding our money and resources in a hole in the ground we will offer them at the feet of Jesus. God knows thankful people are joyful builders of what he has in store.
I don’t know about you but that’s the kind of person I want to be. To know that God can be trusted because He is all-powerful and cares so much about us should make us all thankful. 2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
If you take time to really think about it, you have a lot to be thankful for. So do you have an attitude of thankfulness focusing on what you have been blessed with or have you been more concerned about what you don’t have in your life? The last verse of Psalm 150:6 says, “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” So let us get ready for thanksgiving by praising the Lord.