Reasons For Thanksgiving

Uplook – November 2023 — Grace & Truth Magazine

Reasons For Thanksgiving

God’s Purpose To Bless
We give thanks that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ “hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love” (Eph. 1:4 KJV ).

“Whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29-30).

We can thus look back into eternity and give thanks that our salvation is according to eternal purpose. Yes, give thanks to Him “who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2 Tim. 1:9). What a theme for thanksgiving!

Redemption
“When the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law” (Gal. 4:4-5). For this again we can surely give thanks. What God purposed in eternity, Jesus accomplished in the fullness of time.

And further, for the believer’s thanksgiving, redemption is not only accomplished, but we have it. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). Again, we need not pray for redemption or the forgiveness of sins, when we have both – but surely we must give thanks.

Justification And Peace
If we believe God, we have justification and peace. Believing God we are justified. It is written: “By Him all that believe are justified from all things” (Acts 13:39). We are reckoned, or considered to be, righteous, believing God who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 5:1). All this is a distinct cause for thanksgiving.

Our Shepherd
Our journey is through a world where everything is against Christ and therefore against us as believers, and we like sheep are ever ready to turn aside. How can we, and for what can we, now give thanks? Each of us can give thanks if we can individually say, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want” (Ps. 23:1). We don’t have to pray for a shepherd, but to give thanks. Oh, to know Him and trust Him more! Think of what He does for us: “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures” (v.2) and so forth. Is not every verse in Psalm 23 a wondrous theme for thanksgiving?

Intercession
In the midst of so much temptation and needing someone to sustain, relieve and help us so we don’t fail, can we now give thanks? Yes, we can give thanks for our great High Priest. “In that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succor [relieve] them that are tempted” (Heb. 2:18). “We have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (4:15). “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them” (7:25).

Advocacy
If we fail, can we, besides confessing our sins, also give thanks? Yes, we can give thanks because “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and He is the propitiation for our sins” (1 Jn. 2:1-2). What marvelous themes for thanksgiving!

Absent From, Present With
If we are about to die as to the body, can we give thanks? Or, is everything uncertain in that crucial moment? We can surely give thanks, for the Christian alone can say, “We are confident … and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).

The Lord’s Coming
In the immediate prospect of the coming of the Lord, which will so terrify the world, can we look forward to His coming and give thanks? Yes, with fullest joy, for come what may, Jesus has given divine assurance. He has said, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3).

As Christians we can give thanks for every one of these things. We might go on and add greatly to the list of matters for thanksgiving. Oh, how blessed that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ!

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1:3).

By Charles H. Mackintosh (adapted)

Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. —Philippians 4:6-7 KJV What does God give to the heart that has given all its cares to Him? He gives His peace. Is God’s heart taken up with circumstances, or is He troubled by them? Is His throne shaken by the wickedness of the world or even by the failure of the saints? Put your cares on God, and He will put His peace into your heart. He shall keep your heart and mind in His unspeakable peace. There is no indifference, carelessness or coldness about it; our requests are made known “with thanksgiving.” A man who takes up thanksgiving trusts on God and leaves all on Him. That man can say, “It is His affair, not mine.” He is a happy man who goes through the world in this blessed fellowship with Christ, raised by the Spirit of God above his inward sorrows and outward circumstances. In the power of the Spirit for inward joy, his affections are free to go out to the brethren, and his heart lives in the things in which Christ’s heart would if He were here. — John N. Darby (adapted)