Every day is Thanksgiving . . .

Last night my gratitude journal begged to be used again, so I wrote about a page of things for which I am grateful. Sometimes I blame my lack of thankfulness on having high standards, but always wanting more is often more like greed and certainly sinful complaining — for in so many words I am whining that God isn’t doing His job the way I want Him to do it.

This morning, I read how the Old Testament people of God performed their animal sacrifices, but God said to them:

“If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High, and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” (Psalm 50:12–15)

God’s sacrificial system pointed ahead to the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world, but until then, they declared their faith with substitutes. At least they were supposed to, but their religion deteriorated into ritual. Instead of coming to God with grateful hearts, they performed their sacrifices without being thankful.

The New Testament explains the importance of thankfulness . . .

“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” (Romans 1:18–23)

Even though everyone can see from creation that God exists, many suppress that truth and do not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him. After that, their moral lives slide into idolatry and other sins.

If anyone in my family stops being thankful for the good things in their lives, I become anxious for them, yet I also need to be concerned if my heart slides into that same rumble and grumble. When it does, I also need a tune-up. In the beginning, saying thanks after a round of complaining seems like a sacrifice. It means I’m giving up whatever I think should be happening and trusting God rather than making demands. However, my heart soon warms, and I am truly joyful that God has blessed me. His goodness includes deep peace and an abundance in life that I certainly do not deserve.

I kept reading and found this condemnation. It is against those who do not believe in the Lord, and again makes me realize the pitfall of being thankless, and the importance of having a sincere and thankful heart:

“But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to recite my statutes or take my covenant on your lips? For you hate discipline, and you cast my words behind you. If you see a thief, you are pleased with him, and you keep company with adulterers. You give your mouth free rein for evil, and your tongue frames deceit. You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother’s son. These things you have done, and I have been silent; you thought that I was one like yourself. But now I rebuke you and lay the charge before you. Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver!’” (Psalm 50:16–22)

^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, I am so grateful that You have blessed me with the privilege of knowing Your Word, being part of Your covenant, and having the wonder of forgiveness and grace that changes my sinful life into a life that pleases You. Forgive me for sliding away from gratitude and cleanse my heart so I will always be a thankful person.