Give Thanks – 1 Chronicles 16:34
O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His loving-kindness is everlasting.
After being away for several weeks before Christmas, I returned home to a stack of cards. As I sat reading them, enjoying the notes, letters, and pictures, I could not help but notice how successful the secularists had been in their campaign to sweep away everything of Christ from Christmas. It saddened me to see that many Christians had fallen into the trap of buying cards having the look of Christmas, but without a mention of the true reason we celebrate, Jesus Christ.
Near the bottom of the pile, I opened a card that made me weep. It proclaimed, “Things to thank God for in every season,” the last of which were “the miracle of Jesus and God’s amazing grace.” It was from a middle-aged couple going through a tortuous trial, for the man was gravely ill and was undergoing debilitating treatment. They had reason to question whether they would share another Christmas together on this earth, and as it turned out, they had but a few more, yet gratitude to our Lord rang from their card. As this dear couple proclaimed, without concern for political correctness, the excellence of the One who brought them into the marvelous light[1] and assured them that they could not lose whether in life or death, their message pierced through the clamor and glitz of the season, touching the soul of its recipients. For even in their deep, deep struggle, they were not allowing hardship to keep them from giving thanks to the Lord and declaring His loving-kindness.[2] They understood the sufficiency of His grace for those who trust in Him,[3] and they did not allow sickness and sorrow to restrain their love for Him.
Carry the appealing
aroma of the knowledge of Christ into the places your life takes you, offering
a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him.[4] With a joyful heart
and a confident spirit, give thanks to your God. Thank Him for His faithfulness to supply
wisdom and strength in your needs[5] and for assuring your victory in Christ Jesus.[6] Follow the example
of this couple, and give thanks to the Lord in every season. Whether you are enjoying the bloom of perfect
health while lying in the sun on a tropical island celebrating a fantastic year
or deathly sick and struggling with financial ruin while sleeping on a relative’s
pullout couch, thank the living God for loving-kindness that reaches beyond the
stars. Thank Him for a loving-kindness
that will sustain you and deliver you to the safety of heaven’s shores.[7]
[1] 1 Peter 2:9
[2] Psalm 92:1
[3] 2 Corinthians 9:8
[4] 2 Corinthians 2:14
[5] Daniel 2:20-23
[6] 1 Corinthians 15:57
[7] Psalm 100:5
