Giving Thanks

I used to think that Thanksgiving Day was the one time we celebrated family, friends and God’s provision each year. Great food along with great conversation by a warm fire always stirred my soul. It’s the at home feeling that I truly love at each family gathering.

I thought about the name Thanksgiving along with it’s implications. Many times we hear people say statements like: I’m thankful for..., I’m grateful of..., and the like. We express our thankfulness for people, events and things in our lives. This conveys a meaning of gratitude for what we receive in life. Then something occurred to me. Thanksgiving literally means to give thanks - or to give out praise. We express what we emotionally feel and communicate our appreciations to others. Giving thanks is an action not a noun. In the Bible, giving thanks is not only a declaration, but a command. Ultimately, we give God thanks as in the form of an offering. Our focus and attention is directed to the One of whom all praise is due. Giving thanks is about God. We show, articulate, declare and share the mighty and awesome power of our Creator, Savior and Provider. Giving thanks is a daily expression and lifestyle that cannot be contained in a single day per year.

David in the Psalms expressed thanks to God as a lifestyle. Remember his words where he says in Psalm 119:164 “Seven times a day I praise You.” Praise and thanks are actions that declare God’s faithfulness in His provision, rescue and restoration over history. When you read Psalms like this they are considered to be called Historical Psalms or Psalms of Thanksgiving. I enjoy reading Psalms of Thanksgiving as they serve as a model and banner of gratitude to voice both corporately and individually. Giving thanks is an action in delivering an offering of praise. Why? Because He is worthy of our praise, for his love endures forever. Love is the very nature and Character of God.

Read this Psalm of Thanksgiving in Psalms 136. Notice that each line begins with the worship leader, proclaiming what the Lord has done as he exhorts the congregation to give thanks. The congregation responds in the secondary lines a chorus of praise in one accord:

Psalm 136
 1 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
       His love endures forever.

 2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
       His love endures forever.

 3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
       His love endures forever.

 4 to him who alone does great wonders,
       His love endures forever.

 5 who by his understanding made the heavens,
       His love endures forever.

 6 who spread out the earth upon the waters,
       His love endures forever.

 7 who made the great lights—
       His love endures forever.

 8 the sun to govern the day,
       His love endures forever.

 9 the moon and stars to govern the night;
       His love endures forever.

 10 to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
       His love endures forever.

 11 and brought Israel out from among them
       His love endures forever.

 12 with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
       His love endures forever.

 13 to him who divided the Red Sea [a] asunder
       His love endures forever.

 14 and brought Israel through the midst of it,
       His love endures forever.

 15 but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
       His love endures forever.

 16 to him who led his people through the desert,
       His love endures forever.

 17 who struck down great kings,
       His love endures forever.

 18 and killed mighty kings—
       His love endures forever.

 19 Sihon king of the Amorites
       His love endures forever.

 20 and Og king of Bashan—
       His love endures forever.

 21 and gave their land as an inheritance,
       His love endures forever.

 22 an inheritance to his servant Israel;
       His love endures forever.

 23 to the One who remembered us in our low estate
       His love endures forever.

 24 and freed us from our enemies,
       His love endures forever.

 25 and who gives food to every creature.
       His love endures forever.

 26 Give thanks to the God of heaven.
       His love endures forever.


May this Thanksgiving be for you and your family a special time to give God praise and thanks for all that He is done, doing and will do in the future. Embrace the God of praise and thanks everyday for the praise of His glory.