Psalm 100:4 – “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
Noah Webster, in his 1828 Dictionary of American English, defines the word, “thanksgiving” this way –
“A public celebration of divine goodness; also, a day set apart for religious services, specially to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties. The practice of appointing an annual thanksgiving originated in New England.”
You may ask, “What does it mean to ‘thank?’” Webster defines “thank” this way –
“To express gratitude for a favor; to make acknowledgments to one for kindness bestowed.”
There are three areas of thanksgiving, and you must have all three in order for this idea of thanksgiving to work. Thanksgiving must first have a subject. By “subject,” I am referring to the one who is expressing thanks. Secondly, thanksgiving must have an object, which is the one receiving thanks. Thirdly, thanksgiving must have a reason, or something for which to be thankful. True thankfulness possesses all three parts. Let us look at these parts.
The Subject of Thanksgiving – The One Expressing Thanks
In writing of this subject of thanksgiving, I must begin with the fact that thankfulness, before anything else, is an attitude. True thanksgiving begins with an attitude of gratitude. If a person neglects to say “thank you,” it could be that the person is thankful, but simply forgot to say it! However, there are others who do not say “thank you” are merely unthankful. Let me go a little further. There are those who say “thank you” who are not genuinely thankful. They prove this by their actions. So, thankfulness is not just saying “thank you;” it is not just writing a “thank you” note; it is not expressed only with the mouth; it begins with an attitude. While it is important to say “thank you,” it is more important to mean it.
How does one show that he is sincere concerning his thankfulness? I think the best way to show that you are thankful is by properly maintaining the things for which you are thankful. If someone gives me money, I show my thankfulness by spending the money wisely. If you give me a considerable sum of cash, and you notice that I neglect the electric bill to pay for a hobby or habit, you would conclude that I was unthankful. You would be correct in your thinking. I may say “thank you,” but I neglect to show it by my behavior. If you gave me a vehicle, and I never maintained it, treating it like a race car, my lack of thankfulness would be obvious.
It is amazing to me how we claim to be thankful to the Lord for His blessings; yet we show it very little. If you are thankful for a good church to which to go, you should show it by being as faithful as possible. If you are thankful for your family, show it by taking time to show them you care. If you are thankful that your bills are paid, show it by putting God first in your finances. If you are thankful that your stomach is full, show it by filling someone else’s. I think the point here is clearly made.
The Object of Thanksgiving – The One Receiving Thanks
While in high school, I was sitting in a classroom on the day prior to the start of Thanksgiving break. The principal was speaking to us through the intercom, explaining to us that we should be thankful. While his point was true, he forgot one major aspect of thanksgiving – he never told us to whom we were to be thankful! I stated earlier that “true thanksgiving begins with an attitude of gratitude.” Notice, I did not say “thanksgiving is an attitude of gratitude.” Thanksgiving includes an acknowledgement of one’s blessings; but to be truly thankful, one must express his thanks to an intelligent being who is responsible for the blessing given, and capable of receiving thanks. Thanksgiving is not just saying, “I’m glad I was healthy all year.” Thanksgiving, however, is expressing this gladness to the ONE who kept you healthy all year. If you are truly thankful, you are just muttering to yourself, “I’m glad I lived another year!” It is rather turning your heart toward the God of the Bible, the only true God, the only Giver of life, and thanking Him that you are yet alive! There are many things for which I am thankful, that only God Almighty could give. Life, health, strength to make money, family and friends, answered prayers, salvation, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and so forth. To pretend to be "thankful" without thanking the individual who is responsible is not thankfulness at all. If you do not thank God for your life, you are unthankful. Thanksgiving must have an object, or it is not thanksgiving at all.
The Reasons for Thanksgiving – The Things for which We Are Thankful
I could write much concerning the things for which I am thankful. I am first and foremost thankful to God the Father for sending Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son into the world to save sinners. I am thankful to Jesus Christ for being willing to forsake the splendor of heaven, and live in this wicked world to save me. I am thankful that He poured out His blood at Calvary on that dreadful day. I am thankful that, contrary to opposing opinion, He rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scriptures. I am thankful for the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the living God, who showed me how lost I was without Christ and drew me to Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my ministry. I am thankful for those who read my blog. I am thankful for all material blessings I have received. I am thankful that, in all my travels, I have never been injured in an accident. I am thankful for my life, my family, and my friends. I am thankful to God Almighty for all that He does, and I pray that I will never take for granted His blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
Noah Webster, in his 1828 Dictionary of American English, defines the word, “thanksgiving” this way –
“A public celebration of divine goodness; also, a day set apart for religious services, specially to acknowledge the goodness of God, either in any remarkable deliverance from calamities or danger, or in the ordinary dispensation of his bounties. The practice of appointing an annual thanksgiving originated in New England.”
You may ask, “What does it mean to ‘thank?’” Webster defines “thank” this way –
“To express gratitude for a favor; to make acknowledgments to one for kindness bestowed.”
There are three areas of thanksgiving, and you must have all three in order for this idea of thanksgiving to work. Thanksgiving must first have a subject. By “subject,” I am referring to the one who is expressing thanks. Secondly, thanksgiving must have an object, which is the one receiving thanks. Thirdly, thanksgiving must have a reason, or something for which to be thankful. True thankfulness possesses all three parts. Let us look at these parts.
The Subject of Thanksgiving – The One Expressing Thanks
In writing of this subject of thanksgiving, I must begin with the fact that thankfulness, before anything else, is an attitude. True thanksgiving begins with an attitude of gratitude. If a person neglects to say “thank you,” it could be that the person is thankful, but simply forgot to say it! However, there are others who do not say “thank you” are merely unthankful. Let me go a little further. There are those who say “thank you” who are not genuinely thankful. They prove this by their actions. So, thankfulness is not just saying “thank you;” it is not just writing a “thank you” note; it is not expressed only with the mouth; it begins with an attitude. While it is important to say “thank you,” it is more important to mean it.
How does one show that he is sincere concerning his thankfulness? I think the best way to show that you are thankful is by properly maintaining the things for which you are thankful. If someone gives me money, I show my thankfulness by spending the money wisely. If you give me a considerable sum of cash, and you notice that I neglect the electric bill to pay for a hobby or habit, you would conclude that I was unthankful. You would be correct in your thinking. I may say “thank you,” but I neglect to show it by my behavior. If you gave me a vehicle, and I never maintained it, treating it like a race car, my lack of thankfulness would be obvious.
It is amazing to me how we claim to be thankful to the Lord for His blessings; yet we show it very little. If you are thankful for a good church to which to go, you should show it by being as faithful as possible. If you are thankful for your family, show it by taking time to show them you care. If you are thankful that your bills are paid, show it by putting God first in your finances. If you are thankful that your stomach is full, show it by filling someone else’s. I think the point here is clearly made.
The Object of Thanksgiving – The One Receiving Thanks
While in high school, I was sitting in a classroom on the day prior to the start of Thanksgiving break. The principal was speaking to us through the intercom, explaining to us that we should be thankful. While his point was true, he forgot one major aspect of thanksgiving – he never told us to whom we were to be thankful! I stated earlier that “true thanksgiving begins with an attitude of gratitude.” Notice, I did not say “thanksgiving is an attitude of gratitude.” Thanksgiving includes an acknowledgement of one’s blessings; but to be truly thankful, one must express his thanks to an intelligent being who is responsible for the blessing given, and capable of receiving thanks. Thanksgiving is not just saying, “I’m glad I was healthy all year.” Thanksgiving, however, is expressing this gladness to the ONE who kept you healthy all year. If you are truly thankful, you are just muttering to yourself, “I’m glad I lived another year!” It is rather turning your heart toward the God of the Bible, the only true God, the only Giver of life, and thanking Him that you are yet alive! There are many things for which I am thankful, that only God Almighty could give. Life, health, strength to make money, family and friends, answered prayers, salvation, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and so forth. To pretend to be "thankful" without thanking the individual who is responsible is not thankfulness at all. If you do not thank God for your life, you are unthankful. Thanksgiving must have an object, or it is not thanksgiving at all.
The Reasons for Thanksgiving – The Things for which We Are Thankful
I could write much concerning the things for which I am thankful. I am first and foremost thankful to God the Father for sending Jesus Christ, His only begotten Son into the world to save sinners. I am thankful to Jesus Christ for being willing to forsake the splendor of heaven, and live in this wicked world to save me. I am thankful that He poured out His blood at Calvary on that dreadful day. I am thankful that, contrary to opposing opinion, He rose from the dead on the third day, according to the scriptures. I am thankful for the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of the living God, who showed me how lost I was without Christ and drew me to Jesus Christ. I am thankful for my ministry. I am thankful for those who read my blog. I am thankful for all material blessings I have received. I am thankful that, in all my travels, I have never been injured in an accident. I am thankful for my life, my family, and my friends. I am thankful to God Almighty for all that He does, and I pray that I will never take for granted His blessings!
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!
