Thanksgiving All the Time

Thanksgiving is just around the corner so let’s think about a verse from the Bible that reminds us to be thankful.  Psalm 95:2 says, “Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”  Who is “us?”  Who is “him?”  What do we need to do?  Since we are thinking about giving of thanks an additional question might be, “When are we to give thanks?”

1)     The exhortation is for people.  “Let us” refers to all people (everyone) but particularly God’s people – those who have developed a personal relationship with the creator of the universe.

2)     We are encouraged to take action.  “Come” suggests that we need to make sure we are ready, willing, and able to take the steps that are important to do what God wants us to do.

3)     We are urged to come to the right person.  The “Him” in this verse is the “Lord.” The acknowledgment suggests that God should be the sole object of our thanks.

4)     We are challenged to have a grateful heart.  Our gratefulness is suggested by the words “With thanksgiving.”  It is easy for us just to be happy and enjoy our surroundings.  However, a grateful heart is one that is extremely thankful for a God who is concerned about us and cares for us. As a result, we should be ready to offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

5)     We are exhorted to worship and praise.  We are to “Extol him” by lifting up God’s name, admiring Him, and bowing in his presence because he is worthy of our praise and honor.

6)     We are advised to share our expression.  That sharing is to come through “Music and song.” These are ways that help our emotions turn to God whether it be with a melodious voice or a harmonious instrument.  Our expression to God should come from the grace of God in our hearts and spiritual joy that reveals our delight in Him.

When should we give thanks?  On Thanksgiving Day?  As soon as Halloween is over?  When the calendar tells us it is the time of the year to give thanks?  This verse does not suggest a specific day or time of the year to give thanks.  So, we should be ready to express our thanks to God all the time throughout the year.  Why not begin your thanksgiving today?

God's Guidance

One summer, years ago my brother-in-law and I decided that we wanted to go fishing.  However, since I am not a fisherman and he was from out of state, he said, “Let’s hire a Fishing Guide.  They know where the fish are located.”  Since we had no idea where the best fishing was on the particular lake we had chosen, that’s what we did.  I was impressed with the guide because he knew where to go, what kind of fish we might find in that location, the right kind of bait to use, and the right time of the day to put our lines in the water.

As I thought about having a guide for catching fish, my thoughts turned toward the scriptures and its focus on God being our guide.  God must have a deep concern for us because the Bible often speaks about guidance.  The prophet Isaiah wanted us to know that that God’s guidance is always available for us.  He said, “The Lord will guide you always…” (Isaiah 58:11).  In addition to this there are additional places in the Bible that point to God’s guidance.

1. When we desire understanding and want to be practical or sensible God says, “I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths” (Proverbs 4:11).
2. The words of God and His wise council are part of God’s guidance when the Scripture says, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory” (Proverbs 23:74).
3. As we live from day to day, we discover that God’s words are always there to give us direction.  “When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you” (Proverbs 6:22).
4. When looking for that which is true, we are given specific guidance.  “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come” (John 16:13)

Even though we may not be aware of God’s guidance, as children of God we can have complete confidence that He is vitally concerned that we have the direction we need as we seek to bring honor and glory to Him.