Thankful 365

Why is it that the only time we talk about giving thanks is around a table loaded with food? Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to fellowship with family and fill our bellies to the point of sickness. Why should we limit our thanksgiving to just one day or a season? How great has God been to us? Is He not deserving of thanks daily? Helen Keller penned, "So much has been given to me I have not time to ponder over that which has been denied." She has it right to think that we have been given so much in this life that we shouldn't even have time to think about what we have not been given.

In Psalm 136, the Psalmist was inspired to write, "Give thanks" four times. Sandwiched between these "give thanks" statements are 22 verses of things we should thank God for. Such things include "give thanks" for creation, for leading the Israelites out of the wilderness, and for when God remembered the Israelites in their low times. The most profound statement in this Psalm is "for His lovingkindness is everlasting." This statement is used in all 26 verses of this Psalm. If we really take time to understand how His everlasting lovingkindness has impacted our lives today, we would not be able to go a day without giving thanks.

We need to let God know how thankful we are for everything we have in this life. Focusing on the things we are thankful for will turn our minds from the things we wish we had. So, I urge you to go out this week after Thanksgiving and tell God you are thankful for at least three things in this world. Let us also make it a habit to thank God at least three times before we ask for anything in our prayers.

— Matt Jones