by Pastor Patrick Cho

Since this week we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I wanted to share a few thoughts from Scripture about the giving of thanks. I know that there will have been thousands of sermons given this week on the theme of thankfulness (and many articles and blogs as well), so I will try to keep this brief. Having surveyed some of the passages of Scripture about giving thanks, I was drawn to some unifying themes that I found helpful to meditate on especially for the holiday. Hopefully, you too will find them beneficial for your soul.

First, we should give thanks because of the great and wondrous things that the Lord has done (1 Chron. 16:8-9). Our thanksgiving to God does not only have to revolve around the things He has done for us. If we consider the mighty acts of God in creation, the forming of the nation of Israel, the miraculous sustenance, provision, and preservation of His people, and countless other things He has done, we can marvel at what an amazing God He is. He has put His name and glory on display, demonstrating His almighty power, perfect wisdom, and abiding presence.

Second, (and this is related) we give thanks because of who God is and what that means for us. In 1 Chronicles 16:34-35, David prays that God would save His people from the nations that they might praise Him. He appeals to the truth that God is good and His steadfast love endures forever. In other words, because of who God is and what David knows to be true about Him, David can confidently pray in accordance with his understanding of God’s character. As Christians, we know that God has saved us from our sins, and it is good to remember that this is because of His love, grace, and kindness towards us and not merely because of our inherent beauty and worth.

Third, it is worth considering that in Old Testament times, the offering of thanks was through an animal sacrifice (Lev. 7:11-15; 22:27-30). It was more than sentiment or a kind gesture. It was worship, because worship involves sacrifice. The same theme continues in the New Testament, though in a different application. Paul writes to the Romans that they ought to sacrifice themselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice, which is their spiritual service of worship (cf. Rom. 12:1). So even in New Testament application, worship involves sacrifice.

Fourth, though we are called to be thankful at all times, it is appropriate to have special times of thanksgiving in recognition of God’s provision or sustenance. Whether they had just enjoyed God’s deliverance from their enemies or had completed building the Temple, the people would offer thanks to God for His goodness. When Nehemiah completed his work to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem, he brought leaders up to the wall and appointed two great choirs to give thanks (Neh. 12:31). In the same way, though as Christians we are called to be thankful generally and at all times, it is appropriate and good to take time this week to consider the specific ways God has blessed you this year and to offer thanks to Him “because He is good and His love endures forever.”