Happy Thanksgiving

“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:” (Ps 92:1 AV)

Is this a proof text for the trinity?  The LORD and thy name.  The first is impersonal.  The second is not.  Perhaps the LORD is Jesus and the most High is the Father.  Just a thought.  The main idea here is thanksgiving.  We are celebrating our nation’s duty to thank God above for all the blessings of life.  Each year, the LORD has asked me to conduct a Thanksgiving eve vesper service.  In that service, we read accounts of the first thanksgiving.  It is amazing some of the facts that are revealed that we never knew before.  In between the reading of these passages, our congregation gives praise to God for that for which they are thankful.  Then we sing a verse or two of the testifier’s favorite hymn.  It is really a special evening.  Most are common testimonies.  Salvation and God Himself is the first and foremost of that for which we are thankful.  What we want to see above the first five words.  It is a good thing.  Giving thanks and appreciating what the LORD has done is a good thing.

Thankfulness has a benefit beyond recognizing God for what He has done.  It is the means by which we testify to the world of God’s love and faithfulness.  However, there is a personal benefit as well.  It does the soul good.  There was a perpetual pessimist in my last church.  All he could do is see the dark things of life.  He could not see there is always a positive side.  I challenged him to come up with any scenario where the outcome is only bad news.  Tried as he might, he could not.  Every time he thought of something, I would say, “Yeah, but…”.   A dog with rabies bites me while out soul-winning.  Yeah, but I was able to graciously give the owner a tract, tell them it was no big deal, and share the gospel with them as they were humbly apologetic.  You lose your job, house, and material possessions because your company went bankrupt.  Yeah, but not I am free from all earthly responsibilities and can be adventurous and start all over with a different life.  Your spouse has a serious ailment.  Yeah, but the grace of God which I never knew to be so strong is very real to me.  There is always an upside.  Something for which we can be thankful.

The more thankful we are, the less troublesome life will seem.  Thankfulness may not make the situation any better.  But it will change our experience.  As we look on that for which we are thankful, we will not resent that for which we mourn.  When Zackary left for the mission field and Joshua left for Ohio, those were tough times.  Then God called us to a new church and we had to say goodbye to Nathan.  My parents both passed away through all this as well as two close friends.  To say I lost a lot in a very short time is an understatement.  It tore me up.  However, Lisa and I talked and came up with a phrase that has helped us ever since.  Always be more grateful for what you’ve had than saddened over what you’ve lost.  The LORD may have removed the people, but He didn’t remove the experiences.  He may have sent them away, but they are serving Him or abiding with Him which is far better.  Yes, life hurts.  It always will.  But that doesn’t mean there is nothing for which to be thankful.  It is a good thing to give thanks.  It will heal the soul.