The Cause of Thanksgiving

Now that we have looked at the clarification of Thanksgiving, we can begin to delve into the cause of Thanksgiving. We know that an attitude of thankfulness stems from a gift received and that it must be directed at a particular person or entity. What, then, do we have to be thankful for, and to whom do we owe our thanks?

Throughout our lives, we encounter many individuals who treat us in such a way that earns them our respect and gratitude. Unavoidably, there are also a few who act quite the opposite. Even those who excel in their treatment of others will stumble now and then, earning themselves reproof and hurting their reputation rather than building it up. It is important to give thanks to whom it is due, as well as to let people know when their actions are hurtful. Esteeming any one person to the point where you neglect to see their shortcomings is dangerous both to you and to him.

There is, however, One who never fails us and is always worthy of our praise and thankfulness.

Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. -Psalm 95:1-2 (NKJV)

Reading through the Bible, there are countless stories and lessons in which God proves Himself to be altogther faithful, trustworthy, sovreign, just, and powerful. The attributes of the Lord are too numerous to list here, let alone to study, but I would like to make some observations about four aspects of His character.

1. He is the Creator. “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” (John 1:5) God did not merely create the human race; He lovingly designed each one of us to be unique, and desires that each of us have a personal relationship with Him. Think of the loving care that goes into creating so many individuals! “For you created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb.” (Psalm 139:13, NIV) God also formed the beautiful universe we see around us, from the rolling plains to the snowy mountains to the endless seashore to the dazzling nighttime sky. He constructed everything to work together in ways that have His signature on them, instructing us to ascribe the glory and honour due unto Him. Praise the Lord for being such a detailed Creator!
2. He is the Provider. God meets all our physical needs- not just food and shelter, but also protection, health, and endurance. In Western culture, we tend to take our daily bread for granted; it is important to remember that even this is a result of God's grace and provision to us. The author of Psalm 136 began, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For his mercy endures forever.” God is good; it pleases Him to see His children well-cared for. In His mercy and compassion, He gives us that which we do not deserve. In 1 Peter 5:6-7 we are instructed, “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him for He cares for you.” Isn't that marvelous? He cares for us! Let us never forget His provision.
3. He is the Sustainer. In addition to providing for our physical needs, God is the one who gives us the capability to meet the emotional and spiritual struggles we face. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” When we come before God in prayer with a thankful attitude, He provides us with a heavenly peace that allows us to face whatever circumstances may be thrown at us. What an awesome privilege to come before Him on a personal level and experience His power in our lives!
4. He is the Redeemer. Through Christ's work on the cross and through His triumph over death, we are saved from our sinful state. God could rightly have chosen to let us fight our own nature, but in His love, He sent Jesus to earth to pay the penalty for us. Part of Thanksgiving- and part of the Christian walk as a whole- should be thinking back to Christ's sacrifice for us and seeking to become increasingly thankful as time goes on, rather than slowly forgetting how much He gave up for our sakes. “For by grace you have been saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9) Never be deceived into thinking that you owe yourself a pat on the back for being such a good Christian. We are saved by grace, through faith, and it is not our own doing. Thank God with all your being for the gift of His Son!

There are many more reasons to give thanks to the Lord, but these four main points should get us thinking about His incredible character and the fact that He deserves so much more praise than we can ever give. Our God is truly an awesome God- let's remember that this Thanksgiving, and throughout the course of our lives as He continues to show us His mercy.

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

Next time, we will look at the Continuity of Thanksgiving. Until then,

Your brother in the faith,

-Jeremy