Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.”-Psalm 106:1
It’s no secret that much is said in the Bible about giving thanks to the Lord. For example, 1 Chronicles 16:8 says, “Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness.” In Philippians 4:6, we’re instructed, “Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.” Yet another passage reminds us to be thankful no matter the circumstance for this is God’s will for us who belong to Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18). God has so clearly commanded us to be full of and to choose gratitude toward Him. The fact that He has called us to this matters, and we should listen and obey. We know thankfulness honors God! And as a bonus, gratefulness helps our attitude. But what should especially drive us to give thanks is this: God is good.
Charles Spurgeon compellingly wrote this when reflecting on thankfulness: “Here is a standing reason for thanksgiving. Although we may not always be healthy, nor always prosperous, yet God is always good, and, therefore, there is always sufficient argument for giving thanks unto Jehova. That He is a good God essentially, that He cannot be otherwise than good, should be a fountain out of which the richest praises should perpetually flow.” Spot on, right! The Lord is good! Always good. His very nature is good. Slowly ponder the following biblical truths: He rules with goodness. He forgives because He is good. He gives good gifts because He is good. He allows trials and troubles because He’s good, and He knows what’s good for us to grow. Thus, He deserves our constant thanks and praise.
As we approach this Thanksgiving holiday, might we be encouraged to write down afresh some reasons for thanks. Let's take time to sing thankful songs to Him! May we pray, expressing our gratefulness to Him. It’s a good time to remember and recommit ourselves to — ”Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!”
Cheer up, friends!
-Scott