1 Chronicles 16:34 (NKJV) — 34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is
good! For His mercy endures forever.
1 Chronicles 29:13 (NKJV) — 13 “Now therefore, our God, We thank You And
praise Your glorious name.
Hebrews 13:15–16 (NKJV) — 15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer
the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to
His name. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such
sacrifices God is well pleased.
Why Thanksgiving? Traditionally, Thanksgiving has been a celebration of the
blessings of the year, including the harvest. Most Christians celebrate
Thanksgiving as most others…we meet as a family, eat too much food, then
watch football games, eat more food and become bloated and fall asleep on
the sofa.
Do we truly give thanks to God? I know many who read this will say they do.
And many do. America has much to be thankful for. But are we thankful for
the most important reason to be thankful? Are we thankful for and to God?
We must remember that “God is good all the time and all the time God is
good.” How much do we celebrate the goodness of God? Daily moment by
moment, in the good times and the bad times we should celebrate not only
the goodness of God, but just God because He is God. Give God a big
“SHOUT OUT”. Many are going to do a lot of shouting today watching football
games. Give thanks to God in the good times and the bad times. God is
good even in the bad times. It may be in the bad times we recognize God
the most. When the good is there, we relegate God to 2nd or 3rd or even
further down the line of our conscious thinking.
No matter where you are physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially give
thanks to God. Praise His glorious name. Not just in thought but in words
and deeds. Many are thankful for where they are in life…you need to know if
you are at the top of the totem pole or the bottom of the pole, there is a
reason for it and God put you there. Don’t look down in sanctimonious pride
because the same God who put you there can move you down the pole. If
you are at the bottom of the pole, be thankful to God…He has great and
mighty things He want you to do for Him where you are.
The writer of Hebrews says to “continually offer the sacrifice of praise to
God!” We are not only to praise God with our lips we are “to do good and to share.” We are to reach out to others. As a Christian we need to remember
we may be the only Bible others read. We are the “Ambassadors for Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:20. I wish you a happy Thanksgiving and for God’s blessing
to radiate through your life not just today but every day of your life.