SEPTEMBER 2018
GIVE THANKS
Posted by: District Apostle Mark Woll

Thanks and praise belongs to God, the Creator, and Author of our salvation.

Our lives are fully occupied with our family, our work, school, our responsibilities, obligations, leisure, church and a host of other things. We live busy lives. We often occupy ourselves with the deficiencies in our lives and what we do not have, placing our gratitude for what we have into the background. Someone once said “thinking = thanking”. It is necessary to take the time and reflect over everything we can be thankful for in our lives. We can read in Psalm 136: 1, 25-26 (our Thanksgiving Day text) “Oh, give thanks to the Lord…, who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.” Everything belongs to the Lord, and everything we have is the result of what the Lord has given us.

We come to realize that true thankfulness cannot be contained. It must be expressed and acted upon. God does not need our thanks, our flattery, our time, or our money. Giving is for our benefit. He simply loves us. He proved this in giving His only begotten Son. His Son gave His life as a sacrifice for us; without conditions.

We are motivated out of our love and thankfulness to our triune God to not only “say” thanks, but to “give” thanks. Out of the depth of our heart, we joyfully bring our sacrifice and share a portion of that which our Lord has given us in the first place. We assure Him that we are not in a one-sided relationship where God does all the giving. Although, we recognize that indeed He is the one who goes 99% of the distance, we cannot expect that God goes all the way.  We too must also make an effort otherwise His sacrifice means nothing to us.

Our offering, sacrifice, investment, and effort given out of love and thankfulness exemplify the value we place on that which the Lord has provided for our natural and spiritual life. In addition, we gain a greater appreciation for the sacrifice and blessings of the Lord, our joy is increased, and our trust in God is strengthened.

 

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