Giving Thanks To God

Introduction:

Seven Things to Be Thankful For

1. For automatic dishwashers—they make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family come in for their after-dinner snacks.

2. For husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house—they usually make them big enough to call in professionals.

3. For the bathtub—the one place the family allows Mom some time to herself.

4. For children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They’re such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents.

5. For gardening—it’s a relief to deal with dirt outside the house for a change.

6. For teenagers—they give parents an opportunity to learn a second language.

7. For smoke alarms—they let you know when the turkey is done. (Source unknown from eSermons.com)

Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks. After the Pilgrims’ first year’s harvest, the governor of the settlement, William Bradford, declared a day to give thanks. This day of thanks was observed even up to the Civil War when Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday.

Yet today, especially in America, this day of thanks to God has been secularized and lost most of its religious roots. Many people give thanks but forget the One they are to give thanks. Of all the people in the world, American should be extra thankful.

O.S. Hawkins writes in his book, Good News for Great Days, this thought provoking paragraph (page 214):

Someone has noted that if you reduce the world population to 1,000 and put them all in one city it would have quite a distinctive look. Only 46 of the 1,000 would be Americans. Nine hundred and fifty-four would represent the rest of the world. Yet, these 46 would receive half of the income from the entire city. These 46 people’s life expectancies would be 75 years of age while the rest would be 40 years of age. These 46 people would eat 70% above the daily food requirements while 80% of the rest of the city would never get a balanced meal. In fact, the kitchen disposals of the 46 people would eat better than 80% of the city.

We should be extremely thankful for what God has blessed us with as Americans. All of us right now have a lot for which to give thanks. As we look at our present condition and possession, we should be bubbling over with thanks to God. I fear that we have grown too comfortable and far too ungrateful for all that God has done for us. We can give thanks. What happens too often is that we look at what others have and we want those things. We no longer give thanks to God for what He has given already. We display a ungrateful spirit, which says that we deserve what we have. Such a spirit says, “I have worked hard to get what I have and no one has given it to me. I deserve it all.”

• We would expect this attitude of the lost world, but it is not to be so among God’s children. Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:20,

o Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

• In fact, Paul tells us that giving thanks is God’s will for His children.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

o In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

• David understood this and led the nation of Israel in worship to God. He proclaimed before the people the wondrous works of God, giving thanks as a means of worship. On the day that the people brought the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem, David’s psalm of worshipful thanks was song.

1 Chronicles 16:8-13

o 8 Oh, give thanks to the Lord!

Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

9 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

10 Glory in His holy name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!

11 Seek the Lord and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!

12 Remember His marvelous works which He has done,

His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,

13 O seed of Israel His servant,

You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

The writers of the psalms were acquainted with the need to offer thanks to God. Through out the book, they mention all the great and wonderful deeds that God preformed on behalf of His children.

In Psalm 107, the psalmist is looking back over the history of Israel and is offering thanks to God for all that He has done of them. In the psalm, the psalmist gives us numerous reasons to be thankful to God. Five times he pleads with us to give thanks to the Lord because of what God has done for us (vs. 1, 8, 15, 21 & 31).