Giving Thanks to God for God

Thanksgiving is a time for us to give thanks to God for all that we have. But 2020 has been a rather tough year in a number of ways, and so it is understandable if some people do not really feel much like giving thanks after all. In fact, in some ways I’m sure that many of us will be more than a bit thankful when this particular year is finally in the rear-view mirror.

But there is still much to be thankful for, even in 2020. The Bible is practically filled with exhortations calling the people of God to give thanks to Him, and nowhere is that more evident than in the book of Psalms. Psalm 136 is a great example. In fact, giving thanks to God is its main theme.

In v.1-3 the Psalmist writes,

“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;” (ESV)

Three times there (and once more at the end of the Psalm in v.26) we are exhorted to give thanks to God. The rest of the Psalm goes into some detail about all of the great things that God has done both in creation itself as well as in delivering His people from their enemies. And these are all set before us as reasons to give God thanks.

But look again at v.1-3 (above). What is the very first reason the Psalmist gives us for giving thanks? It is not just what God has done for us (as important as that certainly is), but rather who God is. Why are we to give thanks to the LORD? First and foremost because “he is good,” and because “his steadfast love endures forever.” That last phrase is repeated in each and every verse (a total of 26 times!).

The great Puritan Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, puts it this way: “Give thanks to the LORD, not only because he does good, but because he is good . . . .”

That is why the Psalmist tells us to “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good” (v.1). God is good. Do you ever just thank God because He is good? Not just because He has been so good to you (which is also a good reason to thank Him), but just because He Himself is good!

Are you not feeling all that thankful right now? Are you having a tough time giving thanks this year? It is certainly understandable, as I have said before. But may I then encourage you all the more to make it your aim to seek to know God better?

There can truly be no more important thing that you could do than that. The Bible goes so far as to say that knowing God (not just knowing about God, although it certainly includes that) is eternal life! John 17:3 says,

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (ESV)

Certainly if you know the Lord and have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ, you of all people have every reason to give thanks to God. For it is in Christ that we have been given every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3).

Not only that, but the better that you come to know the God of creation, providence, and salvation, the more reasons you will find to give thanks in all things, even in 2020 and beyond. May we all learn to give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His steadfast love endures forever!

John Owen on Giving Thanks

Just a brief post for Thanksgiving. John Owen (1616-1683) with a helpful reminder about the best way to give thanks to God:

“Obedience is the best way of showing our gratitude to God for His grace.” (Communion with God, p.140)

So while we should certainly give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and express that thankfulness with praise (Psalm 136:1), let us remember to give Him thanks with our lives as well, not only on Thanksgiving day, but every day.

Gratitude for God’s grace to us in Jesus Christ is the primary motive for our obedience.

Thankfulness and Prayer

It is truly remarkable how often giving thanks and prayer are linked together in Scripture.

Here are just a handful of examples:

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:3-5 ESV)

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV)

For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? (1 Thessalonians 3:9-10 ESV)

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)

And if you add to that the dozens of times that the Psalms speak of giving thanks to the LORD (e.g. Psalm 7:17; 9:1; 30:4; 33:2, etc.), the list gets even longer.  After all, in a sense, many of the Psalms are both songs and prayers, where God is addressed.

You can’t really give thanks without praying. (To give thanks to God is to pray!)

And you probably won’t persevere very long in prayer if your heart is not filled with gratitude to God for all of the blessings that He has bestowed on You in Jesus Christ.

No wonder that the Heidelberg Catechism calls prayer “the most important part of the thankfulness God requires of us” (Q.116).

Give Thanks

In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 the Apostle Paul writes,

” . . .give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

A few brief observations:

1.  This may sound strange, but this is a command.  God requires us to give thanks to Him.  It is our duty to do so.  That being the case, we must have a great deal to be thankful for that we have received from the hand of God.  He would not require us to be thankful for no reason.

2.  The command/imperative (“give thanks”) is in the present tense, so this giving of thanks is to be an ongoing, continual thing.  It could also be translated, “be giving thanks.”

3.  We are to give thanks “in all circumstances” (ESV).  This could also be translated as “in all things.”   This means that we must see the hand of God in all things.  So a high view of the providence of God is really a prerequisite for being able to give thanks in all things.  In other words, an ungrateful Calvinist is a contradiction in terms.

Commenting on 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, John Calvin writes,

The man who does not think so highly of the righteousness of Christ and the hope of eternal life that he rejoices in the midst of sorrow is exceedingly ungrateful to God.

Christians, above all others, should be exceedingly thankful people.

Just something to consider as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday.