"The Lord delights in you." Isa. 62:4. "Thus says the Lord, who created you..."Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine." Isa. 43:1. "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands..." Isa. 49:16 "Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving,and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever,and his faithfulness to all generations." Psalm 100:1-5.
What is "a sacrifice of thanksgiving" and how should I offer it? It intrigued me to look up the word 'thanksgiving' and realize in the Old Testament, it was a literal sacrifice (Lev. 7:11-15, Psalm 50:23). What does it cost me to thank my God? Time in preparation? Resources in the offering, perhaps? But even so, my efforts are so small and fallible. We set aside this day to be mindful of our blessings. Yet, my frustration grows as I trudge in this rain to the market and in my mental checklist realize I have two more stores to visit. My irritation with the little men riding with me mounts as they become more and more excited and get in the way of my plans. My patience wears thin as I feel there is so much left to do, and yet, the sands of time are slipping through the hour glass and I feel that even my bones are tired.
As I read the Word I was reminded that God chose me. The sacrifice of His only Son to save me from my frustration, irritation, impatience and other daily sins merits all the strength I have to sing praise to Him and bless His name. As if I needed another reason, I read again and again "Give thanks to the Lord, for His is good, His steadfast love endures forever." I Chr. 16:34, 2 Chr. 7:3, Ez. 3:11, Ps. 136:1. In all of time, He is has not changed. Even with the uncertainty of "future", He is not going to change. He loves me steadfastly. He will endure in His love for me, despite what I do. That is worth a lifetime of thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is my response to who He is and what He has done for me. The more I learn of Him, the more thanks I want to give Him. It tunes my heart to His will. It prepares me to do good works. It allows his enduring love to spill out of me onto others. Oh give thanks to the Lord!!
Father, thank you so much for choosing me! Thank you for the great lengths you went to to show your love for me. Thank you for calling me your friend even though I am forgetful of you. Thank you for hearing my prayers, understanding my moods and forgiving my inconsistency. You are worthy of all praise! I proclaim my thanksgiving to you Jesus Christ, Lord of all. Amen.
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