Thanksgiving

A Psalm of Thanksgiving.
Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing...
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
~ Psalm 100 (NKJV)

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)

Thoughts on thanksgiving (or if you prefer, on giving thanks).

If we come before God's presence with singing, thanksgiving and praise, we're in a better position to talk to Him about all the other stuff we want, and are less likely to think we need it.

Expressing complaints cancels thanks.
Expressing thanks cancels complaints.

Christians have a custom of blessing food to give thanks. Jews have a custom of blessing the God who provides it to give thanks. [Thank you, Randy Ingermanson, for pointing this out in your book Double Vision.]

If people are truly grateful their gratitude should have a recipient (or Recipient).

Every November some people will say Thanksgiving should be every day, then forget to thank God more than a few times before the next November.

If we're able to receive everything (Paul's word above, not mine) that enters our lives, we'll more readily see God's will to use it for good.

If God denied us every other blessing, the gift of eternal life at the cost of His Son's blood is sufficient for our constant gratitude.

Father in heaven, Your goodness to us far exceeds our mortal ability to comprehend it. Please move us to thank You in everything. Please remind us to continually bless Your name as You continually bless us.

"Oh to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! ...
Streams of mercy never ceasing call for songs of loudest praise."
~ Robert Robinson,
from the traditional hymn Come Thou Fount [of Every Blessing]

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2009, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.