Thanksgiving

“I have a thankful heart,

That You have given me,

And it can only come from You”

These are the first lines from a song called “Thankful Heart” by the Legendary Gospel Band ‘Petra’.  It clearly indicates that the ‘Thankful Heart’ only comes from God alone. Going back to the times when King David writes in his Psalms about his gratitude and love for God, it is indeed more astounding to see that even if times changed, the love for our creator can never be expressed as much as He has loved us.

The Psalmist, in Psalm 100:4 writes, “Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with Praise; give thanks to Him and Praise Him.” Often we go through situations in our lives where we feel we might not be able to thank someone enough for their goodness or love shown upon us. It could be a random stranger who did a good deed or it could be the ones we love. We try to think of a way to give back and thank them and maybe succeed at times. We tend to tell about the goodness to the others we know. Here’s where the Bible clearly tells us – Enter his gates with thanksgiving and Praise.

Have we ever thought how thankful we should be to God for what he has done for us in our lives? When we come to the presence of God, many times it is just when we need something. The Psalmist reminds us that when we come to his sanctuary, come with thanksgiving and praise. Why can’t we just go to God thanking Him for all the beauty that he has added in our lives? It is said that in Heaven, the angels and all the heavenly hosts keep singing of God’s glory and sing praises to God endlessly. How marvellous would that be to join the angelic choir! Here’s what we are reminded of again, when you go to God, when you come to his presence, let it be with Praise, let your heart be filled with Joy, let the innermost thank God first for all that he has done. 

Most of us, right from our childhood know the song --

I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart

I will enter his courts with Praise

I will say this is the day that the Lord has made

 I will rejoice that he has made me glad

Though we are reminded of it time and again, for most of us, we remember God in our troubled times. Let us leave that aside, and let’s go to Him, rightly with all the love we have for Him and give Him thanks for all he has done for us. Not only for the good, but also the other experiences that teach us in different ways. Know that God is in control.

Vs.5 – “For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; His faithfulness continues in all generations.” Indeed, his plans are to prosper. In all his goodness, we have found grace, because of his faithfulness, we can go on. There is nothing more than this breath that we have every second that we could be thankful for. In every step of our way, he’s our guide. Even though we drift away, the shepherd searches for us and it is said that the heavens rejoice when that one lost sheep is found. His love indeed endures forever.

Let’s commit to God our paths and give Him all we have. There’s nothing more we could give Him in return to thank Him enough for his enduring love and his faithfulness in our lives.

I would like to conclude with the lyrics of another beautiful song by Casting Crowns, a song called

‘Who am I?’ The pre-chorus read –

Not because of who I am

But because of what you’ve done

Not because of what I’ve done

But because of who you are

You and the life that you have been given isn’t yours, it is the Master’s.

Give thanks in everything.

Author - Gladson Peter