Who Am I to Thank?

As I sit with extra care to give thanks on this ‘Thanksgiving Day’, I began to ask myself, what is different about this day as it relates to this Thursday that man has designated as a day to stop and give thanks? I look around and see the intent of so many to give thanks, which is wonderful. People from all walks of life on this Thanksgiving have and will spend time uttering phrases of thanksgiving. I guess, my question is, “Who are you giving thanks to?” Who will the atheist thank, who will the Muslim thank, who will the Jehovah Witness thank, who will the scientologist thank, or even the polytheist? Basically, who will any unbeliever thank?

Even in words of gratitude, my bible tells me that there is no way to the Father, but through His son, Jesus. John 14:6 reads that Jesus is the way the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father, but by him. So my question again is “Who are you thanking?” This leads me to my next question, “What are you thankful for?”

God is the creator and the provider of all sustenances in life. What can we give thanks for that God hasn’t either created, provided, or caused? Take breathing, the ability to inhale and exhale (it’s the nurse in me), who is responsible for this miraculous gas exchange that occurs for your life to continue. That cardio/pulmonary process goes hand in hand. Who do you thank? How about your transportion, whether it is a personal vehichle, public transportation, moped, bicycle, or even your legs, (not all my readers have vehicles). Who do you thank? That job that you may or may not enjoy, nevertheless, the Lord provides for you and your family through it. Are you thankful? How about the people that add so much joy to your life, e.g., parents, syblings, spouses, children, grandchildren, friends, or even mere aquaintenances. God’s providence arranged circumstances for you to meet and have them in your life for your good and His glory. Are you grateful and who do you thank for these gifts?

In order for your phrases of thanksgiving to mean more than a roundtable exercise uttered over a feast, once a year, you must come to a point where you admit that just like life without Jesus the Christ is empty, so are your phrases of thanksgiving apart from Jesus as Savior of your life. All of the aforementioned gifts are from God so He should be to whom your thanksgiving and praises should be uttered. He is truly the only one that can give us the hearts that are filled with the appropriate gatitude. We cannot be truly thankful without His grace and Spirit.

With that, there is no greater gift than the gift of His Son. John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 2. God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him.”(ESV)

Romans 10:8-13 can lead you, 8 “But what does it say?”The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame. 12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing His riches on all who calls on him. 13 For, everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (ESV) Be saved today!!

Lord, we thank you for everything, only by your soveriegnty, grace, mercy, and love that you have created, provided, and caused my life to be as well as it is now, sufficient for your plans for it. I don’t understand it all, but trusting you gives me peace. So Lord help my distrusting and douting heart and help me to believe more consistently. Amen! I do believe…

The journey flows…..

Zephany,