Give Thanks Unto the Lord

Psalms 136:1 "Give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good; for His mercy endureth forever."  

In just a few days we will be celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday once again.  I always look forward to both Thanksgiving and Christmas at the end of each year.  This year is no exception.  Given the turmoil we've seen across our country, it causes me to look forward to the holidays this year.  We need some time for reflection.  We need to take time to count our blessings.  

As thankful as I am that we have the fourth Thursday of each November set aside as a day of Thanksgiving, we need to remember that Thanksgiving shouldn't be limited to just one day a year.  Our life should be an example of Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving should be year around in each of our lives.  God has been abundantly good to us.  We need to remember on a continually basis the importance of Thanksgiving.

I know of a couple named Michael and Nadia Shaver who have been trying to go onto the mission field in Iceland.  Consequently, Nadia has stage 4 breast cancer and right now all plans are on hold for moving to Iceland.  Nadia has been taking chemotherapy to destroy the cancer cells in her.  In spite of the major trial she's faced in her life, she's always continually thankful for the Lord and his goodness.  She demonstrates thankfulness on a day to day basis in spite of her cancer.  It would place many of us to shame.  She lives a life of thanksgiving.  That's something we all need to do; esp. those who claim to be saved.  

What do we have to give thanks for?  Many things.  First of all salvation.  Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice on calvary so we wouldn't have to spend eternity in hell.  Instead we have the privilege to spend eternity with Jesus.  Another thing we have to be thankful for is the church.  Thank God for the church.  We also have much to be thankful for in regard to our families.  Thank God for the mothers, fathers, and the spouse he has placed in our life.  We also have much to be thankful for concerning this great country.  Yes there is much wrong with it.  But there's also much right about it as well.  Thank God we live in a country where we possess the freedom to attend church and to serve God.  We have the privilege to send missionaries around the world.  This is the greatest country on earth.  God has abundantly shed his grace upon this country.  We're very blessed to live in America.  We should be thankful for the jobs that we have to provide a living for our families.  We should be thankful for our children and the joy our children many times bring in our lives.  

We have so much to be thankful for.  Let's not forget our blessings on Thanksgiving Day.  Let's make thanksgiving a daily event in our lives.  Let's learn to be thankful.