Daily devotion – Give thanks!
1Ch 16:8 Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.
Psa 118:29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.
There are 38 exact phrases of ‘give thanks’ to the Lord in the Bible. Many more with different wording. Could it be that God enjoys hearing His children thank Him, and show our appreciation and love for all that He has done and is doing for us? I think so!
This November Sunday the 19th, we will be having a “Sunday of Thanksgiving!” A time set aside to remember all that Christ has done for us and most importantly how we need to thank Him – personally!
Between now and then consider taking time as a family and as individuals, to write down the things that God has done for you that you need to be thankful for. This is not as easy as you think as there is a mountain of blessings that God has done for us that we are aware of, apart from those we are ignorant of that He has done in the background.
I think a passage that helps me to be thankful in addition to the one where the 10 lepers were healed and yet only one took the time to return and thank the Lord as recorded in Luke’s Gospel chapter 17, is the glorious passage of thanksgiving and praise by the Apostle Paul – 1 Timothy 1: 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
15 This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16 But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 17 All honor and glory to God forever and ever! He is the eternal King, the unseen one who never dies; he alone is God. Amen.
Each time we gather as Christ’s Church we should give thanks, each time I wake up we should give thanks. Stop for a moment in your busy life and simply and audibly thank the Lord – you will be blessed, and the Lord will be pleased!
Write down the things you want to thank God for on paper, card or notepad and keep them for we have something planned for Thanksgiving Sunday the 19th November for you to bring them to Church!
Psalm 30: 10 Hear me, LORD, and have mercy on me. Help me, O LORD.” 11 You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, 12 that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever!