Truly, if every day is truly a day of Thanksgiving for us, then we are of all people, most grateful, but if we allow one day to go by without giving thanks, then we are truly ungrateful. I hope that listening to the Voice of God speak to us through the Holy Scriptures that every day will be a day that we consider our Thanksgiving. Every day is a day of Thanksgiving.
If we are to exercise ourselves in gratitude, then we are going to recognize that God has commanded us to be grateful. Turn with me to Colossians Chapter 2, verses 6 and 7. Here God speaks to us to tell us, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” In fact, verse 15 of the third Chapter of this book says, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.” Clearly, we have the command to be thankful. We have the command to be grateful.
Our Ultimate Example, Jesus Christ, shows us a pattern of thankfulness. We see Him thanking God in Matthew Chapter 11, verse 25, where He says, “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” We see Him thanking God in Mark Chapter 8, verse 6, where we read, “And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.” Just prior to the raising of Lazarus, we read in John Chapter 11, verse 41, “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.”
Truly, the people of God should be thankful people, grateful people. In Psalm 100, we read of words of praise from the mouth of David, “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
Let us be thankful unto our God every day! Let us acknowledge every day as a day of Thanksgiving! Count your blessings!
-Jason Gann
