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Gratitude
November 20, 2021

In the United States, the fourth Thursday of November is set aside as a day of Thanksgiving. Brazil and the Philippines also observe Thanksgiving on this day. In Canada, it is the second Monday in October. In Rwanda, it is the first Friday in August, and in Liberia it is the first Thursday in November. In Japan it is known as Labor Thanksgiving Day and celebrated on November 23rd. Throughout many other countries are religious festivals with a thanksgiving theme.

The concept of giving thanksgiving to God is found within the Bible with special thanksgiving offerings found in the Old Testament. The question I have for us to consider today is, should thanksgiving be an act relegated to a single day or single separate events, or should we be living our lives in gratitude for what God has given us?

We might think of gratitude as something people need to have for what God the Father and Jesus Christ have done for us. It is easy to overlook that even Jesus had gratitude for what the Father did for Him and the people in whose lives He was intervening. In the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, Jesus first thanked God for hearing him. When we make requests of God, do we first thank God for hearing us?

John 11:38-44
Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Gratitude is easy to overlook. Whatever we may think of the life we have, we all have reasons to be grateful, especially towards God. Even when life is very bad, God could have allowed our life to be worse, and we can be thankful that God is using the situations we face in life to bring us to perfection. Even when miracles happen in life, it is easy to lack gratitude. When Jesus healed the ten lepers, only one of the ten came to thank by giving glory to God. When we are thankful, do we give glory to God for what has been given to us?

Luke 17:11-19
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Many have heard the story of Daniel in the lions’ den, how God spared Daniel from death by intervening and keeping the lions from eating him. We sometimes get fuzzy on the events leading up to that event. Daniel, of the tribe of Judah, had risen to prominence in Babylon and this brought concern to those who reported directly to Darius. They must have thought Daniel was a threat to them, so they devised a plan knowing that Daniel was an upright person and would not be tripped up by any of the existing laws. They knew Daniel was a man of devotion towards God, and saw this as a point of weakness that they could use to entrap Daniel. With the king’s permission, they developed a plan where for thirty days, anyone who would ask a petition of God or any other man except for Darius would be tossed into the lions’ den. Darius like the idea and signed it into law. The decree didn’t stop Daniel from continuing to pray to God, and overlooked by many is that during these prayers, Daniel gave thanks to God as he always had done. The way the laws were written, there was very little that could be done to spare Daniel, because once a law was enacted, the law had to apply to all without any opportunity for mercy or forgiveness. Even though Darius would have been willing to spare Daniel, there was nothing Darius could do. Daniel would have to be tossed into the den of lions. Before being tossed in with the lions, Darius told Daniel that God would deliver him. Darius then had Daniel placed in the lions’ den, and the den was sealed with a stone. When Darius returned the next morning after having a very restless night, and expecting to find Daniel eaten, Daniel was very alive. In the story, we tend to overlook that it was a prayer involving thanksgiving that was part of this event.

Daniel 6:10-23
Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king's decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel. Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him. Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions. And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

Looking at gratitude and going back to an early time in Biblical history, one of the very first things Noah did after the flood waters receded, once he knew it was safe to leave the safety of the ark, was to build an altar to God and make an offering there. The Bible isn’t clear why the offerings were made. We don’t know if the offerings were given to pay for the sins of mankind which brought the flood on the earth, or if the offerings were given with a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving for having brought his family through the flood. Chances are the offerings had a little of both elements. After surviving a challenging time is a natural time to give thanks to God. Noah and his family survived because they found favor with God, because unlike the world, they were not wicked, and this indicates that prior to the flood, just like after the flood, Noah and his family did not ignore God, did not discount God, did not look at the world they lived in and didn’t see the need for God. Instead, Noah and his family were different. Everything that the world was, including unthankful, Noah and his family were the exact opposite. Just as Noah was thankful for the mercy his family had been given by living through the flood in the ark during and after the flood, Noah and his family had to have been a thankful family before the flood. There can be belief in God without gratitude, and without gratitude there can be no faith.

Genesis 8:1-22
And God remembered Noah, and every living thing, and all the cattle that was with him in the ark: and God made a wind to pass over the earth, and the waters assuaged; The fountains also of the deep and the windows of heaven were stopped, and the rain from heaven was restrained; And the waters returned from off the earth continually: and after the end of the hundred and fifty days the waters were abated. And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

There is no specific command in the Old Testament that a thanksgiving offering be provided to God. Giving of thanks to God was not the result of an obligation, it was something done of one’s own free will. The only requirement was the offering could not remain until the next day, it had to be eaten that night.

Leviticus 22:29-30
And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the Lord, offer it at your own will. On the same day it shall be eaten up; ye shall leave none of it until the morrow: I am the Lord.

So, what do we have to be thankful for? We live in a world that seems to have found a pathway forward with the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet we also live in a world where we are told to trust science, almost as if science and scientists are equal to God. Like during Noah’s times, we live in a world where we know there is evil, where evil is called good, and good is called evil. We are seeing what looks like the prelude to the warnings Jesus gave about the last days on earth. With all that we are facing, it would be easy to live our life without thanksgiving and gratitude, and yet we have much to be thankful for. We know all things work together for good for those who are called. Just like God sealed the mouth of the lions when Daniel was in the lions’ den, God and Jesus Christ can make any situation benefit us. We are not told some things work together for good. We are told all things work together for good to people who love God who are called by God, that when God is for us nobody can be against us, just like all of the princes who reported to Darius failed in their effort to have Daniel killed by the lions. We can be thankful; we can have gratitude that nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father. That is a promise given to us, and that promise is just one of many reasons to be thankful and have gratitude.

Romans 8:28-39
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

To the Philippians Paul wrote they were to always rejoice in the Lord. We rejoice because good things are happening for us. We never rejoice in bad things. We rejoice in good things, and the fact that Paul told them to always rejoice means many good things happened to them and continue to happen today for the people of God. Paul then told them to make their requests known to God with thanksgiving. He did not just tell them to just make their requests known to God, Paul told them to make their requests known with thanksgiving. If we cannot be thankful for what we have, why should we expect anything more? It is when we make requests to God with thanksgiving that we stay grounded in God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

To the Thessalonians, Paul shared a similar message. He also told them to rejoice and to never stop praying. He then told them to give thanks for everything, because this is the will of God in Jesus Christ. We sometimes wonder what the will of God is for us. God wants us in part to be thankful. That is so basic it is so easy to overlook. Without gratitude we are living outside the will of God for our life.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-22
Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Going back to the message to the Colossians, Paul reminded them that they were the elect of God and needed to forgive others as Jesus forgave us, and among a list of many things, to be thankful. Paul is showing that among the many qualities we need to have is an attitude of gratitude in all things that we do.

Colossians 3:12-17
Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

As we continue with prayer we must also continue with thanksgiving. Being thankful and having gratitude are part of what we do.

Colossians 4:2-6
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

In writing to the Ephesians, Paul told them to be filled with the Spirit. Instead of getting drunk from wine, we are to be drunk with the Holy Spirit, and as we live this spiritual life, we give thanks to God the Father in the name of Jesus Christ in all we do.

Ephesians 5:18-20
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

We give thanks to God through Jesus Christ for the opportunity for eternal life. As mortal people, we cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, and know that it is through Jesus Christ we give thanks. The thanks that we give is not just an act of giving thanks. We show our gratitude by how we live, by remaining solidly in the faith knowing there is a purpose in what we do.

1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Paul and the people who traveled with him were grateful for all who were called, and showed this by mentioning them in their prayers. One way that we show gratitude for others beyond our interactions with them, is to pray for them, knowing we are called by God to have the hope of eternal life.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God. For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost: So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing. For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God; And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

We live in a world that many see as unholy and unrighteous, and what is one of the root causes of being unholy and unrighteous? Lack of gratitude. Instead of giving glory to God and being thankful, society tends to worship itself and be self-serving. Lack of gratitude is a cause of many of our world’s problems. In the church we see evil in our world and immediately conclude it is because the people are under the sway of Satan. Paul shows in Romans that they are under the sway of Satan because the people did not glorify God, nor were they thankful, and instead became self-serving worshipping themselves. Lack of gratitude and being unthankful are huge reasons why this world is evil and filled with negativity. We are called to be positive, to be righteous, to have gratitude, to be thankful. When we have difficulty finding reasons to be thankful, our relationship with God is imperiled, and we need to find reasons to be thankful.

Romans 1:18-26
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

Even during times of profound Biblical prophecy, the scene surrounding God’s throne is portrayed as one of intense gratitude. In the Book of Revelation, the twenty-four elders give thanks to God when the seventh angel sounds.

Revelation 11:15-17
And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

We know David as a man after God’s own heart. David had his many faults, and yet David remained a man after God’s own heart. We can tell from verses, especially in Psalms, that David was a man of gratitude who frequently expressed his thanks to God. The story of David is not the story of peace and easy living, but the story of a man’s constant struggle with his own sins and the sins of others around him. Yet with all of these struggles, David gave thanks to God.

1 Chronicles 16:7-12
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

David wrote that one reason to give thanks to God was for His everlasting mercy. For David to know that God has everlasting mercy, David had to be in situations where he experienced God’s everlasting mercy. When we read the story of David, especially David and Goliath, we tend to overlook the many difficult situations he faced with king Saul and within his own family. Until it was time for David to die, God showed mercy to David, and for this David gave thanks to God. We are all shown mercy by God. Even if we are in a very bad situation, that situation could be worse, and even for that we can give thanks to God.

Psalm 136:1-8
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever. To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever: The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

David wrote of God’s mercy in other psalms and the need to give thanks, showing that sometimes God’s mercy is made known to us in bad times. God’s mercy is always with us, but it is in the middle of bad times that we are more easily able to see mercy.

Psalm 107:1-8
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses. And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

David wrote when we come before God, we are to come before God with an attitude of gratitude, with thanksgiving. One way we show gratitude is by praising the name of God. Do we praise the name of God? Do we talk about the impact God has had in our life?

Psalm 100:1-5
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

It is good and an important part of our life to be thankful, to have gratitude, to give thanks to God, to sing praises to God. It is important to give thanks to God in spoken word, in music, in the morning, and at night. There is never a time to be without gratitude, because God is great and God is good.

Psalm 92:1-5
It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

Thanksgiving for some may be a national holiday. For those who are called, we give thanks for all that God has done for us, even when the situation we face is very challenging. We give thanks throughout the day in all that we do. We give thanks in the words we speak, in the songs we sing, and through how we live our lives, knowing that much of what is evil in the world around us has a root stemming from a lack of gratitude, in being unthankful. We are called to be righteous, we are called to be holy, we are called to have gratitude, and we are called to be thankful.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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