MANY THANKS

 

I will give thanks to the Lord, with
all my heart; I will tell of all Your
wonders.
I will be glad and exult in You;
I will sing praise to Your name,
O Most High.
Psalm 9:1,2

Little children and often older ones at well, can remember over and over from their earliest years hearing their mother say, “Say 'Thank you.'” Mothers us many phrases in that same vein such as “What do you say?” or “Did you forget to say something?” Parents have always had a sincere desire to raise grateful children, grateful for any gift or kindness extended to their children. There's nothing wrong with that as teaching courtesies is a valuable part of child rearing.

Thank you is said in many languages. For instance:
Chinese – do jeh
French – merci
German – danke
Hebrew – toda
Italian – grazie
Japanese – arigato
Russian – spasibo
Swahili – asante

There are limitations to our understanding many of those languages but people understand within their own cultures those words of gratitude. Words of gratitude in America are often said in different ways....”Thanks”...”You shouldn't have”...”It was so kind of you”...”TYSM”... ”You always know what I like”...”WOW”...”Love it”.....BUT, nothing is better than “Thank you.” Those two English words are probably familiar to most people around the world.

As faithful as we parents may have been in teaching our children to not only make “Thank you” an almost natural part of their being, I'm afraid we've not always instilled in them a gratitude for God and His goodness. Such goodness has come in so many forms. I'm afraid many children would define gratitude to God as just saying grace before each meal. Many adult Christians could fall into that area as well. Thanksgiving cannot be true Thanksgiving if we leave God out of the process. We would have nothing good in our lives were it not for His goodness in our lives.

The sad thing is that we often confined our thanksgiving to just one day or week of the year. God is so faithful in His provision and care for us every day of the year with few “Thank you's”. I have noticed with some passing years that I tend to be remiss in my praise and worship of THE One who keeps me moving, supported, protected and loved beyond what anyone else in my life can provide.

I looked up some things, more spiritual in nature than cranberry sauce that we can thank God personally for. Give these things some thought:

Truth – as in God's Word
Holy Spirit leading in my life
Answers to prayer
Needs met
Kingdom of God that is unshakable
Strength from the Lord
Goodness and grace of the Lord
Identity in God
Victory over sin through Jesus
Inheritance yet to come
Name of the Lord
God Himself

That's quite a list to wrap ourselves around, but God is so worthy of our praise. For so long He has wrapped His loving arms around you and me so He deserves our worship not just at this time of year but every day of the year. So...

“Come, ye thankful people come.”

Thank You Father not just for all of Your goodness in my life but for being who You are beyond all You abundantly pour into my life with every breath. I love You, praise You and don't even want to think of where I would be without You. In Jesus' precious name....Amen