PSALM 136:1-3; 26 – “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
THEME OF THE DAY: AN EASILY FORGOTTEN AND NEGLECTED COMMAND. Do you give thanks to the Lord? I am not referring to the mindless, mechanical, and routine offering of a few words over a meal. No, the command we find in today’s scripture and throughout the Bible is not a forced exercise but evidence of two spiritual realities in the lives of God’s people.
First, obeying the commandments of God expresses our love for Him. And the two words “give thanks” are a command. Jesus makes it clear a couple times in John’s gospel, chapter fourteen, our love for Him is not in profession but in practice.
““If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.” (John 14:15, 21, 23-24).
Another spiritual reality concerning the giving of thanks is it validates we are filled with and walking in the Spirit of God.
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-21).
Yet, even with a knowledge of the importance of obeying the command “give thanks” we are prone to wander as the hymn writer penned when it comes to obeying this command. We are creatures not yet glorified and forget, even neglect, our responsibilities and privilege in the Christian life. And when it comes to living and practicing the giving of thanks to God, it is both a responsibility and privilege. God is so good, so wonderful, and so giving to us, He deserves lives of constant thanksgiving.
So, how do we live such a life before Him, a life of thanksgiving that gives way to lives giving thanks to God on a consistent, even daily, basis? Well, it is simple, not easy because of the busyness we allow in our lives along with the many distractions we face, but it is doable. Here it is…
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:1-2).
We start counting our blessings as soon as we wake up and all through the day, look for God’s blessings. They are many, and the more we focus on Him and them, the act of obeying the command “give thanks” will occur. It must. When we remember the goodness of God to us, both physical, temporal, and spiritual, we cannot help but give thanks. Let’s start right now!
PRAYER: Father, forgive me when I forget and even neglect the spirit and practice of thanksgiving to You.
REFLECTION: Living thankful is not only a command but evidence of a Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled life.