Thanksgiving Thoughts for 2017

by Sarah Earlene Shere

“A Psalm of thanksgiving and for the thank offering.

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.” Psalm 100 (AMPC)

Are you thankful? I’m not, not as I should be.

I have a quirk: I frequently Google the definition of words, out of curiosity and in a desire to make sure I’m saying exactly what I mean to say. I Googled the word “Thankful”. Thankful was defined as “pleased and relieved” or “expressing gratitude and relief”. It struck me as odd that both times the word “relief/relieved” was used. I would never have connected relief with thanks. I guess it makes sense. So, I Googled “relief”. The first definition read: “a feeling of reassurance and relaxation following release from anxiety or distress.” I find this to be a fascinating way to describe thankfulness, and it truly hit home to me, as I have been struggling with anxiety for the last few years.

Philippians 4: 6-7 (AMPC) is to me both convicting and comforting, respectively:

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

“And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

So it only makes sense that Satan would want to keep us from giving thanks. After all, thanks brings feelings of reassurance and relaxation and the release from anxiety and distress.

And consider one more Biblical truth: We are commanded to give God thanks, whether it comes freely as an offering or must be a sacrifice.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!” Psalm 100:4 (AMPC)

“Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High,” Psalm 50:14 (AMPC)

“So now make confession and give thanks to the Lord, the God of your fathers [for not consuming you], and do His will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from [your] foreign (heathen) (relationships).” Ezra 10:11 (AMPC)

We might ask:

“What reason have we to give thanks?”

“O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!” 1 Chronicles 16:34 (AMPC)

“What benefit is there in giving thanks?”

“He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23 (AMPC)

“And say, Save us, O God of our salvation; gather us together and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to Your holy name and glory in Your praise.” 1 Chronicles 16:35 (AMPC)

So, whether we feel like it or not, today and always, let us “praise the name of God with a song and…magnify Him with thanksgiving,” for truth be told, we have more than most, and His love endures forever! Psalm 69:30 (AMPC)

May you and yours have a Beautifully Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving! 🙂