Giving Thanks To God and Thanking God for Those Around Us

Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the United States.  Many have gathered together with family and friends to eat way more than they should and many will watch American Football on the television.  Hopefully in the midst of all the goings on today we will set aside some time to think of all the things we should be thankful for.

We who are believers in Jesus Christ should be thankful for the Lord and all that He has done and is doing in our lives.  I am thankful for the Lord Jesus.  I am thankful for my mother, my brother and his family.  I am thankful for many things. 

I am thankful for the Lord's protection in this world of uncertainty.  Things can change in a heart beat.  My mother and I went to my brother and his wife's place for a wonderful Thanksgiving Day meal.  After eating and enjoying a great time with family we headed home.  On the way home I looked to my right to look at a certain house and I noticed a young man wearing a blue tee shirt running towards the road with an arm in the air waving at me.  I thought that it was weird since he seemed to come out of no where then I looked in front of me and there was a deer running across the road directly in front of our vehicle.  We missed the deer by probably less then ten feet. 

If I hadn't have slowed down to see the young man waving I am pretty sure we would have hit the deer.  I am thankful to the Lord and that young man who ever he is.  There were other deer on the other side of the road as well.  I am thankful for a good vehicle with good breaks as well.  God is indeed good.  He does protect us and He does help us.

We need to give the Lord more thanks and praise than we sometimes do.  Sometimes we just see the bad things that are going on all around us,  but we must remember that there is still a loving God and He is still at work in this world.

I like what Psalm 100 says,


"1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

References for Psalms 100:1

• Cross References

• 1 100:1 - S Ps 98:6 ; Ps 98:4

2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

References for Psalms 100:2

• Cross References

• 2 100:2 - S Dt 10:12
• 3 100:2 - S Ps 95:2

3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his^a ; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

References for Psalms 100:3

• Cross References
• Footnotes

• 4 100:3 - S 1Ki 18:21 ; S Ps 46:10
• 5 100:3 - S Job 10:3
• 6 100:3 - Ps 79:13 ; Isa 19:25 ; 63:8,17-19 ; 64:9
• 7 100:3 - S 2Sa 24:17 ; S Ps 74:1 ; Eze 34:31

• Ś 100:3 - Or "and not we ourselves"

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

References for Psalms 100:4

• Cross References

• 8 100:4 - S Ps 42:4
• 9 100:4 - S Ps 96:8
• 10 100:4 - Ps 116:17

5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.                                    

We need to give the Lord thanks in all of life's circumstances that we face.  We need to thank Him in the good times and in the bad times.  We need to praise Him for His Awesome love and presence.

Let us come boldly to His throne of grace with humble hearts, words of thanksgiving on our lips, and joyous praise bursting deep from within our very souls.

The Lord is worthy of all of our praise.  We need to rejoice in Him because of who He is.  We are His people.  We have been bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ.  We owe Him our praise and faithfulness.

Let us give thanks to the Lord and praise His name always.

Lord,

We are thankful for You Lord our God.

We are thankful for our families and our friends.

We are thankful for Your protection.

Lead us and draw us near to You Lord as we seek Your face.

In Jesus name we pray,

Amen.