The Self-Denying Grace of Thanksgiving

When I flip through my prayer journals, I see a common theme, that of supplication. It seems I never hesitate to cry out to God to intervene in my life. I ask for his provision. I seek his help and wisdom. I pray for strength and healing and transformation. These are appropriate prayers, after all, Jesus taught us to pray for our daily bread. The psalmist cried out to the Lord for help and hope. And the author to the Hebrews encouraged us to come to the throne of grace to receive help and grace in our time of need (Heb. 4:16).

But I was convicted recently as I read a devotion from the Puritan, Thomas Brooks. When I read these words, “there is more need of praises than there is of prayers,” it made me pause. I stopped to mull that sentence around in my mind. I found myself mentally weighing my needs versus the gifts I’ve received. The next sentence clarified why this is true: “For our mercies outweigh our needs.”

Think of it! All the undeserved and unearned mercies God showers upon us each day far outweigh our needs. The more I considered all these mercies, the more I realized how seldom I stop to return thanks. More often, I take those mercies for granted. Mercies such as daily provisions, protection from evil, the joy of fellowship with Christ, forgiveness of sins, God’s faithfulness and steadfast love toward me, the sanctifying work of the Spirit in me, and so much more.

Thomas Brooks explained what happens when we give thanks: “Thanksgiving is a self-denying grace. It takes the crown from ourselves, and sets it on the head of our Creator. It is a grace that gives God supremacy in our hearts, thoughts, desires, words, and works. Thankfulness is a freewill offering.”

When we give thanks to God for who he is and what he has done, we give to God what he is due. “Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him!” (1 Chronicles 16:28-29). God alone is Creator and Sustainer. He alone gives us life and breath. He alone redeems and saves. In giving thanks, we humble ourselves before the One who gives us all things. Giving thanks reorients our hearts and minds from focusing on ourselves and what is going on around us. It redirects our gaze from the storm to the One who commands the wind and rain. It exalts God and magnifies who he is. It makes God great in our eyes and in our heart.

This admonition is timely for me in this unprecedented season of uncertainty. My worries over these past few months have produced discontentment rather than thanksgiving. Indeed, my prayers are many, but my praises are few. I’ve voiced my worries and concerns, expounded on my grumbles and complaints, and sought the Lord to intervene and provide. Yet, I’ve failed to prostrate my heart in thanks for God’s endless mercies. In the words of Thomas Brooks, I’ve held tight to the crown.

Brooks also pointed out that there is no prayer in heaven, only praise. As John wrote “…the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever” (Revelation 4:9). Thanksgiving and praise is the song of heaven. It’s the recurring anthem, the heartbeat of all who stand before the throne. The more we practice giving thanks on this earth, the more we ready ourselves for heaven to come.

We may not know what tomorrow holds. This uncertainty may continue for some time. Yet even in our difficult circumstances there is reason to give thanks. Because God’s mercies are many, may our praises outweigh our prayers.

“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had to limit my intake of news. Mostly because it has overwhelmed me. It makes my heart heavy. It triggers my worries and fears. That’s why I’ve appreciated the efforts of many who have gone out of their way to highlight and share the good taking place. Whether it is stories of school teachers driving through their student’s neighborhoods or neighbors helping neighbors or the creative ways people are making the best of a difficult situation—all such stories remind me that there is good in the midst of the bad.

And don’t we need a bit of good news right now?

As I read or watch these stories, I’m reminded all the more how Christians have a greater reason to enjoy good news. Even more, we know the best news there is: the gospel of Jesus Christ. Because we know this good news, we always have reason to rejoice. We know a joy that brings light even in the darkest times.

Perhaps that’s why Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (16-18). Many times in my Christian life I’ve wondered how it was possible to rejoice always. Even when my heart is breaking? Even in the face of loss? Even when I’m fearful? What I’ve since learned is that Paul’s not calling us to be uber-optimists or to say that something is good that clearly is not. He’s not calling us to grin and bear it and deny the pain of the suffering we experience. The truth is, the bad things that happen in life are the result of the Fall and we should lament those things for this world is not as it should be. We ought to call evil what it is.

However, in the midst of our pains and sorrows, we have a joy that acts as a steady undercurrent; it keeps us moving us forward, despite the swells of a storm-filled life. We can rejoice always because of Christ. We can rejoice because we’ve been rescued from sin and saved for eternity. We can rejoice because we know God and are known by him. We can rejoice because we are beloved by the One who rules all things, sustains all things, and determines all things. As Calvin noted: “if we consider what Christ has conferred upon us, there will be no bitterness of grief so intense as may not be alleviated, and give way to spiritual joy.”

Paul links rejoicing and prayer and thanksgiving here because there’s an interesting relationship between the three. They work together, contributing to and reinforcing the other. When we are hurt and suffering, we cry out to God in prayer, placing our burdens before him. In doing so, we find peace and joy in the mist of that pain as the Spirit encourages our hearts and we are reminded of who God is and what he has done for us. In this, prayer and rejoicing go hand in hand. And so, Paul urges us to pray without ceasing, so that our joy would be full and we can rejoice always. Then in turn we respond in thanksgiving for the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness to us. It’s really a condensed chain to what Paul wrote about in Philippians 4:

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (vv.4-7).

Rather than fret and despair and be filled with chronic worry, we are to have “reasonableness,” a moderation of spirit. We are to bring all our concerns to the Lord in prayer, wrapped in thanksgiving. The Lord then gives us a peace that would make no sense to those outside of Christ, for it surpasses all human understanding. It’s a spiritual peace. A gospel-anchored peace. A peace rooted in our union with Christ our Savior.

I love what Spurgeon said about this relationship between rejoicing, prayer, and thanksgiving:

“The more praying the more rejoicing. Prayer gives a channel to the pent-up sorrows of the soul, they flow away, and in their stead streams of sacred delight pour into the heart. At the same time the more rejoicing the more praying; when the heart is in a quiet condition, and full of joy in the Lord, then also will it be sure to draw nigh unto the Lord in worship. Holy joy and prayer act and react upon each other…When joy and prayer are married their first born child is gratitude. When we joy in God for what we have, and believingly pray to him for more, then our souls thank him both in the enjoyment of what we have, and in the prospect of what is yet to come.”

So, if you are like me and are weary of all the bad news these days, remember the good news. The very best news. The news of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice for sin. And rejoice in the Lord. Bring all your needs, concerns, sorrows, and cares to him in prayer. Then respond with thanksgiving for who he is, what he has done, and in what he will yet do.

Psalm 138 and Giving Thanks to the Lord

Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, that annual holiday when we pause and give thanks for all God has done.

The book of Psalms is a great resource to help us verbalize our gratitude to the Lord. There are many songs there that give thanks to God in various situations and circumstances. In fact, there is an entire genre of psalms, called “thanksgiving psalms.” These psalms were crafted in response to God answering a lament. In essence, when the psalmist cried out to the Lord for help, and he responded, the psalmist then responded with thanksgiving.

Psalm 138 is one such psalm. In it, David responded in thanksgiving to the Lord for rescuing him from his enemies. We don’t know the exact lament this psalm is in response to because he writes of it in general terms. But we can tell it was a circumstance in which he feared for his life. Because this psalms is so general, it makes it easy for us to apply it to our own life and circumstances. Psalm 138 helps us worship and give thanks to the Lord for his goodness to us.

James Boice once wrote that “worship is acknowledging God as the great God he truly is and praising him for it. In other words, worship has to do with confessing God’s attributes…it also has to do with thanking God for what he has done.” In reading Psalm 138, we find a number of reasons to give thanks to God for who he is and what he has done.

Reasons to Give Thanks

1. God’s character and his ways: “I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word” (vv. 1-2). David begins the psalm right away with praising God. He identifies two central characteristics of God: love and faithfulness. This reminds us of numerous passage throughout Scripture that speak of God’s steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness. In Exodus 34, when the Lord passed in front of Moses, he described himself as “abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” God is a covenant making and keeping God. He sets his love upon us and nothing can move it. He is faithful to keep his promises to his people. His name, I am, the one he gave to Moses, is exalted above all names. His word is life and truth. These are all covenantal reasons to give thanks to our great God.

2. God answers prayer: “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased” (v.3). This is where the psalm gets personal. God heard David’s lament and he answered him. He strengthened him when his soul was weak and in despair. This prompts us to remember all the times the Lord has met us in our own pits of sorrow; when we thought the sun would never rise again, the Lord provided the grace we needed to endure and brought us through to the other side. May we never cease to give thanks to the Lord who answers our cries for help.

3. God will be exalted: “All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD” (vv.4-5). Here David looks to a future time when all the rulers of the earth will acknowledge that God alone is King above all. Because of Christ, the King of Kings, we too can look forward to the day when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11).

4. God sees the humble: “For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar” (v.6). We do not serve a God who is distant from his people; rather, we serve a God who has come near. In the Old Testament, the Lord dwelt among the people in a tabernacle. In the New Testament, God sent his Son, wrapped in human flesh, to live among us. Jesus came not to those who have no need of a Savior—not to the haughty—but he came to the lowly, those who are sick and in need of healing.

5. God rescues and redeems: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me” (v. 7). David knew much trouble in his life and many of his psalms reflect that. Life in this fallen world is filled with trouble. We can rejoice and give thanks that we worship a God who rescues and redeems. He not only intervenes in our day to day troubles, but he also rescued us from our very worst fear: eternity apart from God. He sent his Son to redeem us from sin and bring us back to himself. Praise the Lord for his salvation!

6. God completes his work in us: “The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands” (v.8). God made promises to David, not the least of which was that his dynasty would continue on. In our own lives, we too can rejoice that God fulfills all his purposes for us. He will make us like Christ. He will finish the work he began in us. He will persevere us to the end. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Take the time to read Psalm 138 and give thanks to our great God today.

Why We Give Thanks

Thanksgiving. It's the season where we join together with friends and family around a table spread with food. We give thanks for the blessings in our life and recall all the good we've experienced during the year.

For some of us, it may be hard to think of things for which we are thankful. Life may not be going well. We may be in the midst of deep heartache, a season of suffering, or wandering through a dry desert—with no oasis in sight. 

Gratitude isn't only for those who have everything they've ever wanted and whose dreams have all come true. As believers, we are called to give thanks in all things and in all circumstances. If your heart wonders, "What could I possibly be thankful for this year?" consider this list:

Five Reasons to Give Thanks

1. God is Creator: We give thanks because God is our creator and sustainer. Each breath we take comes from him. Acts 17:25 says, "nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." Giving thanks acknowledges that we are dust and that everything we have comes from God; we can do nothing apart from God's grace.

2. God deserves and is worthy of our thanks and praise: God is holy, righteous, and good. He is worthy of all honor and praise. "I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High" (Psalm 7:17). "Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom" (Psalm 145:3). No matter what is happening in our life, no matter the challenges we may face, there is always a reason to give thanks—because God deserves it. We can thank him simply for who he is. And when we don't give thanks, when we hold back because our life isn't turning out how we'd like it to, we actually rob God of the praise and glory he is due.

3. Scripture calls us to give thanks: Paul tells us to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4:4) and to "give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Giving thanks to God is something believers are to do all the time, not just once a year in November and not just when life is going well. Rather, it ought to be the continuous posture of our heart. When life is challenging, we often wonder what God’s will is. The Bible tells us: give thanks.

4. Because of all God has done for us in Christ: Our greatest reason to give thanks is because we've been brought from death to life. God has shown his goodness and faithfulness to us through the death of his Son on our behalf. Because of Christ, we have been adopted into the family of God. The list of benefits and joys associated with having new life in Christ is endless. What we have in Christ is reason enough to give thanks. "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe" (Hebrews 12:28).

5. It's what we were made for: We were made to worship, praise, and give thanks to God. The Westminster Confession says that the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. Giving thanks is one of the ways we bring God glory. It's also how we enjoy him. The beautiful thing about doing what we were created to do is that it gives us great joy. Knowing God and responding to his wonder and glory by returning thanks for who he is and what he has done, brings us deep and abiding joy. It's the kind of joy that anchors us during difficult times. Even when the sorrows of life cut into our life, we still have joy—a joy even in the midst of our tears because we are known by our Maker and Creator.

This Thanksgiving, there really is much for which to give thanks. From our very life to eternal life; from God's goodness to his steadfast love; from Christ's atonement to membership in the Body of Christ; from the wonder of knowing God to the deep joy of being known by him, the reasons are many. May giving thanks to our Lord be the joy and posture of our hearts this Thanksgiving and every day throughout the year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

As we celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and family, may we remember why we give thanks—because God is worthy of all our praise and worship.

As David sang in 1 Chronicles 16:

"Sing to the LORD, all the earth!
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
and he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his place.

Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength!
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth;
yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The LORD reigns!”
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!" (vv. 23-34)

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

In Christ,

Christina

The Psalms and Giving Thanks

This month marks that yearly tradition where we gather with friends and family around a table laden with food. For most of us, that means turkey and dressing (or stuffing, if you must), cranberry sauce, casseroles, and of course, pumpkin pie. Like the pilgrims before us, we give thanks to God for his rich blessings to us over the past year.

The holiday of Thanksgiving is an opportune time to dwell on what God has done and to give him the thanks he is due. The book of Psalms is a rich resource to aid us giving thanks, specifically the psalms of thanksgiving.

The Psalms of Thanksgiving

The book of Psalms was the hymnbook for God’s people. They used it in worship the way we use our hymnals or praise songs today. And just like music today, there were different genres or types of psalms sung at different times, depending on what was happening in the life of God’s people. The psalms of thanksgiving were one such genre and are closely tied to another genre, the psalms of lament.

When God’s people needed help and rescue, they sang a lament and cried out to God for help and mercy. These are the darkest of all the Psalms and ones where the psalmist voiced his deepest sorrows, fears, and griefs to God. “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? (Psalm 13:1). After God met his people in their need and delivered them, they responded with a song of thanksgiving, thanking God for what he had done. “I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me” (Psalm 30:1).

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