YBible Thoughts Y

November 29, 1998

Every day is thanksgiving day for the children of God. Even in the Old Testament era, they were encouraged to be thankful for all of the blessings that came from God. The Psalmist had experienced God's care and providence in his time and he was thankful, and desired others to be thankful.

The Lord has not set aside a particular day that is to be observed for "Thanksgiving." Each day is a day of thanks for those who please the Almighty. They arise being thankful for the night's rest, for the new day, for the physical benefits God extends, as well as the many spiritual blessings that will be heaped upon the Lord's people during the day. Each new day opens another opportunity to be thankful to the Lord.

The Psalmist made a "joyful noise"(v. 2) unto the Lord. He desired that all others possess the same attitude. They were to serve God "with gladness"(v. 2) and this would give one the joy of singing. It helped the Psalmist, as well as those he addressed, to express their thankfulness in praise to the Lord.

The author of the Psalm was thankful that he served "Jehovah, he is God"(v. 3). One cannot be thankful to idols; they are nothing. They have no power to bestow blessings nor a right to accept praise and worship. Only the creator of mankind holds that position. Today, let us be thankful we serve the living God.

The people were encouraged to be thankful that God "made us, and we are his"(v. 3). If we exist by chance, through organic evolution, we can be thankful only to fate. Man, however, is created in the image of God; a being so complicated that all of the computers from all of the ages until the end of the earth could not so design a human. When men try to design the "perfect man," it soon becomes evident they can only produce an imperfect. We are thankful that it was God, not chance or some lower creature, even another man, that made each of us.

Those addressed by the Psalmist were God's "people, the sheep of his pasture"(v. 3). When one belongs to God, there is cause to be thankful. Thankful for the relationship, thankful for the care, thankful for the love, and all spiritual blessings because one belongs to the Almighty. Of all the folks that should, and can, be thankful, God's people should be full of gratitude and thanksgiving daily.

When the Jews entered the tabernacle, and later the temple, they entered with thanksgiving(v. 4). To be near to God in the worship, even of the Old Testament, created a heart that overflowed with praise and joy in being the Lord's people. Worship in any age, especially under Christ, should inspire each participant to be thankful every time the opportunity for worship with other saved ones is presented. Worship is not something the faithful dread; it is filled with the thanksgiving while praising the God "from whom all blessing flow."

In the midst of the praise, the Psalmist would "give thanks unto him, and bless his name"(v. 4). In the prayers, in the teaching, in the singing, in the Lord's Supper, and in the giving of one's means, thanks should be uppermost in one's mind. Many of our songs express the attitude of the disciple in several different ways, implying(or stating) thanks to the giver of such opportunities and blessings.

Disciples of Jehovah realize that He is "good; His lovingkindness endureth for ever"(v. 5). It is not in man to have enough power to be able to express all of the thanks that it would take to properly thank the Lord. To each of us, he has been good(extremely good). Jehovah has shown such lovingkindness, not to Jews only, but to every Jew and Gentile in sending His only Son to die for the sins of the whole world. Such love is beyond comprehension for the human. This should provoke us to express that thankfulness in not only verbalizing such, but by living a life that demonstrates it.

Not only would the Psalmist recognize the care and providence of God, but all generations to follow should be aware of the faithfulness of God to mankind(v. 5). Every generation, from Adam to the present, have so benefited from the love and blessings of God. This would lead the apostle Paul to say, "..in everything give thanks..."I Thessalonians 5:18). And it is appropriate to add, and every day give thanks, for every day is thanksgiving day for the Christian.