Thanksgiving, A Biblical Commandment
Thanksgiving, A Biblical Commandment
If you were to ask me what is the most American holiday, I would say, Thanksgiving. It is a
wonderful time of the year. It comes in Autumn when the heat, cold and usually severe storms are not
occurring. It’s often beautiful, especially in those areas where the leaves have turned and softly covered
the earth in splendid colors like a rainbow blanket upon the earth. It’s a time we think of Pilgrims,
Indians, turkey and pumpkin pie. I remember growing up, those who were preparing the Thanksgiving
dinner would say, “Now don’t eat too much breakfast; save room for your Thanksgiving meal.” This
humors me, as if a challenge is given that should we not eat too much breakfast we could possibly finish
everything that was prepared. As I think back at the scene of the table with enough leftovers to last a
week, it reminds me how wonderful it is to live in America, where God has abundantly blessed us. God
said to His people in the Old Testament, "The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy
storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the
LORD thy God giveth thee" (Deuteronomy 28:8). We need to be aware this was the blessing contingent
upon Israel’s walk with the Lord. God help us to come back to the Lord as a nation, that we, too, might
maintain His gracious blessing!
As we prepare our hearts for another Thanksgiving, let us keep in mind that thanksgiving for the
child of God is not to be only an annual event, but a state of mind before the Lord. Hebrews 13:15, says,
“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving
thanks to his name.” In light of this, we see thanksgiving is to be continual and we are to express it
audibly!
Giving thanks is the very attitude and atmosphere of heaven! Revelation 4:9 says, “... give glory and
honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:17 gives us
a glimpse of the magnification of our Lord in glory, “Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty,
which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.”
Being thankful is the way in which we approach God, as is illustrated in the passage that says,
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless
his name” (Psalm 100:4). We can see in the initiating point of becoming a Christian, we enter into
salvation with a thankful heart. The Word of God says of those who are not trusting the Lord for
salvation, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but
became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1; 21). To refuse to
humble ourselves and give thanks is the attitude of the unregenerate. According to the Bible, we need to
give thanks. Let us therefore, give thanks:
1. For Our Provision.
In Scripture, when our Lord fed the four thousand, He taught us to first be thankful before we ate
and for what we ate: “And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and
gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude” (Matthew 15:36). Christ did it again in John
6:11, “And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the
disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.” We understand
that it was an ancient Hebrew custom to give thanks after one eats. Our Lord seems to set a precedent to
give thanks before we receive. It is an act of faith when we believe that our needs will definitely be met
through Christ (Philippians 4:19). Our Lord’s act of thanksgiving for the meal stands out, for after he fed
the multitude the Bible says, “(Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where
they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks)” (John 6:23).
Paul followed the same pattern in Acts 27:35, “And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and
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gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.”
Let us also give thanks:
2. For Friends
Listen to the great Apostle as he gives thanks for the people God has brought into his life:
"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to
give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers" (Ephesians 1:15,16). II Thessalonians 2:13,
“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord....”
Paul is so dogmatic about being thankful for one another, that if there has been a falling out between
believers, he commands, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel
against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is
the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in
one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:13-15). We are the Body of Christ and God intends for us to
get along one with another.
Also, let us give thanks:
3. When It Doesn’t Make Common Sense.
Christians have been born from above and we of all people on earth should live the uncommon life.
Too often we are tempted to respond in a common way. Someone gets mad at us, and in childish revenge
we try to get back at them. I have heard it said, even if we cannot give thanks for our circumstances, we
can always give thanks in the Lord. Philippians 4:4 says, "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say,
Rejoice." But the Bible also says to go a little farther with this when we are exhorted, “In every thing give
thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). We are to look
at everything God directs and permits as His will and He tells us to be content with His choice of
circumstance, "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content" (Philippians 4:11).
Also included in this form of thanksgiving is to be thankful for the people He, in sovereignty, places in
our path. Recently, I heard Charles “Tremendous” Jones commending us to continue to work with
people, no matter how difficult they become. He said, “don’t give up on people, because they are all we
have to work with!” How simple, but true! We are to be thankful for all persons placed in our field of
reference. The Bible says, “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks, be made for all men” (I Timothy 2:1).
Daniel continued to give thanks to God, even when he was faced with death in the lion’s den, “Now
when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his
chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks
before his God, as he did aforetime” (Daniel 6:10). This is not a common man! His dignified spirituality
is reflected in the phrase, “...and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” This should speak to
all of us to be never changing in giving thanks all the time, for all people, and for all things.
Finally. Let us give thanks:
4. For Calvary
Psalm 119:62 says, “At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous
judgments”. In contrasts, one of the most often used statements in the Psalms is a command to give
thanks for God’s mercies. For instance from the beginning of the 118th Psalm to the end it says, “O give
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thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever” (Psalm 118:1,29). How can
praise for God’s holy judgment be harmonized with His mercy? There is one way only, the Bible says,
"Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psalm 85:10). At
the cross, Holy God in Jesus Christ, took the hand of unholy man and brought us together. And through
His death we enjoy the righteous kiss of redemption because God’s judgment was satisfied in our Lord’s
vicarious death.
Our response to Calvary should always be thanksgiving, “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable
gift” (II Corinthians 9:15). I appreciate the man who said, “Thank God, I not what I used to be and even
though I am not what I ought to be, thank God I am not all that I’m going to be”. This is all possible
because of the cross. I usually begin my time of prayer with thanksgiving for my Savior who died for me.
This perspective enhances my whole time of prayer. From the viewpoint of the cross, priorities are
adjusted and life is appreciated to the maximum!
- Pastor Pope -
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