Give Thanks with a Grateful Heart - An Act of Obedience!

Why do you give thanks? Why should we give thanks? We give thanks for things, and for blessings, but we are to also give thanks because we are commanded to give thanks.

I think there are some comparisons between giving thanks and witnessing. We witness to people because they are lost, but our primary reasons for witnessing to people is because God commanded us to witness to people. God takes delight in obedience!

Here are some examples of being called to the obedience of giving thanks

This first one is when David received the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel. 1 Chronicles. 16:7 Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren. 8 Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 9 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

Psalm 118:1 O give thanks unto the LORD; or he is good: because his mercy endureth forever. Someone put this psalm to these words:

O give thanks, give thanks unto the Lord,
For He is good, and His mercy endureth forever.
To Him which led His people through the wilderness,
For He is good, and His mercy endureth forever.
He turned the wilderness into a standing water,
And dry ground into water springs.
Strengthen ye the weak hands and confirm the feeble knees,
Say to them that are of a fearful heart,
Be strong, fear not, behold your God will come with a recompense.
Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened
And the ears of the deaf, of the deaf unstopped.
And a highway shall be there,
And it shall be called the way, the way of holiness,
The unclean shall not pass over it,
The unclean shall not pass over it,
But the redeemed of the Lord shall walk therein;
And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion,
To Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads,
They shall obtain joy and gladness,
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Psalm 104:1-5 - 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. 2 Who coverest thyself with light as [with] a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 3 Who layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters: who maketh the clouds his chariot: who walketh upon the wings of the wind: 4 Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire: 5 Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.

Psalm 33-34 - 33 I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 34 My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD.

When we recognize who the Lord is and what He has done, it helps us to learn how we should approach Him! Come with hearts of praise trusting and enjoying His sweetness. And 105 continues the thought.

Psalm 105:1-5 - 1 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. 2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. 3 Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 4 Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. 5 Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth.

Psalm 106:1 - Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psalm 92:1-5 - It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: 2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, 3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound. 4 For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. 5 O LORD, how great are thy works! [and] thy thoughts are very deep.

Give thanks out of obedience -- Give thanks out of gratitude -- Give thanks for blessings received -- Give thanks to the One deserving of Praise, the Lord our God! He and He only is worthy of praise!

Psalm 107:1 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

The Thanksgiving holiday is almost upon us. May we find ourselves truly thankful not only TO our God, but FOR our God!

“Give thanks with a grateful heart, Give thanks to the Holy One, Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.”

Have a wonderful day serving our Wonderful Lord, by Grace Alone!