Thanksgiving

By Roland W. Keith
 
 
    As Turkey Day approaches I thought I would write a little on what we as Christians have to be thankful for. As I started researching scriptures it became clear there are far more things on the list than I can write about in a page or two and do scripture justice, so instead I’m just going to make a list of reasons to be thankful with accompanying verses. It is not an all-encompassing list, but I hope it gives you food for thought.
 
1. We should be thankful because our God is good and loving.
 
1Ch_16:34  Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
1Ch_16:41  With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Psa_54:6  With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.
2. Jesus gave thanks for the food He was about to share, and so should we.
Joh_6:11  Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.
Act_27:35  And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.
1Ti_4:3  who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
1Ti_4:4  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
3. We should be thankful that our LORD is a righteous and just God.
Psa_7:17  I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
4. I’m lumping some important stuff together here, but we should be thankful to our God, Who has extended His grace to us, and is worthy of our trust and faith.
2Co_4:15  For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Psa_28:7  The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
Col_2:7  rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
5. We should be thankful that God has turned His wrath from us, and that He provides us comfort instead.
Isa_12:1  You will say in that day: "I will give thanks to you, O LORD, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
 
6. We should thank the LORD for the victory He has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ!
1Co_15:57  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Ch_16:35  Say also: "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
7. We should be thankful that God has given us a place among His saints, gathering us together from among the nations of the world to enroll us in His kingdom.
Col_3:15  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Psa_106:47  Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.
8. We should thank the LORD for setting us free from sin and its destructive power.
Rom_6:17  But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,
9. We should be thankful that we have a God to Whom we can turn with all our concerns.
Php_4:6  do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
10. We Should thank God for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
1Th_1:2  We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,
2Th_1:3  We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.
1Th_3:9  For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,
11. We can be thankful that God is with us in every circumstance, and that our eternal fate is in His hands.
1Th_5:18  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
12. As we celebrate Thanksgiving Day let us do so with a proper understanding.
Rom 14:5  One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.
Rom_14:6  The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.
 
Rev_7:12  saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."