Recently we gathered all 4 of our different leadership councils for a time of remembering and giving thanks to God for what he has been doing in and through us this semester. It reminded me of some very important lessons I had learned in the past about the importance of being thankful. I’m particularly inspired by 2 passages of Scripture about thankfulness:
16Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers (and sisters). 17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:16,17
23 (The person) who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and prepares the way so that I may show (that person)[b] the salvation of God.” Psalm 51
First, we can be “deceived” in believing that something good in our life came from another source other than God: our own efforts, chance, privilege, someone else, etc. James was making the point here that everything good that we have does come from God. Yes, God may have given it through a particular vessel, but James was adamant, these come from God.
One important aspect of giving God thanks is that we remember that it is God that is the source of everything good that we have, receive, experience, etc. The LORD worked very hard as seen in the stories of the Old Testament to get his people to remember what he had done for them. He set up daily, weekly, annual rituals of remembrance (daily offerings, Sabbath, Passover, Feast of Weeks, etc) for the very purpose that the people would remember that he rescued them from enemies, provided for them, was the source of everything they owned, used, received. It is my lightly educated opinion that the biggest reason the Israelites continued to sin and rebel against God is that they forgot that it was him who had provided for them. They began to believe that it was their own efforts that had built up their status, and ultimately, they began to act as if they had no need for the sovereign God in their lives.
Secondly, the Psalm 51 passage shows a link between giving thanks and salvation. I believe that as we are consistent in the practice of expressing our thankfulness to God, we will understand, experience, and can better share with others what it means that we have salvation with God through Jesus Christ.
So, my invitation is for you to join myself and my leadership council friends who paused to simply say, “God, I have some great things in my life, my life and faith have grown recently, you have been at work in our community. We acknowledge that you are the source of all this. We thank you and praise you for who you are and what you have done and are doing.”
This does a couple of things in our lives. It keeps us humble:) recognizing that God is the source and without his provision and work, we would have nothing. It causes us to continually recognize how great, sovereign, caring, and powerful God is. Finally, God receives more glory, honor, and praise. We give that to God through these acknowledgments and expressions. Also, as we share these with others, hopefully they will see more of who Christ is and desire to worship and give him thanks also. As Christians, this is our primary purpose in life, to give expressions of love, praise, thanks, and glory to our living God!
Cheerio! Love you guys. Please let me know what you have been thankful for recently.