Today’s devotion is a short one, but one I wanted to share with you since we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving in just a little over a week.
Yes, next Thursday, many of us will be gathering with family and friends to feast on things like roasted turkey, dressing and gravy, cranberry sauce, devilled eggs, sweet potatoes and a host of yummy, decadent desserts! But for us, as followers of Jesus Christ, thanksgiving is more that an eating extravaganza . . . and it’s more than a one year event, isn’t it? Every day should be a day of thanksgiving for us because, as Psalm 92:1 says, “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord”.
And why is it such a good thing? Here are a few scriptures that tell us why.
“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalm 107:8-9
“Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can declare all His praise?” Psalm 106:1-2
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30. It glorifies Him!
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6
“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV)
And then there is the New Testament account of the cleansing of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19 which is a great example of why it is so good, so beneficial, to give thanks unto the Lord. I’m sure you probably remember the story about the ten lepers who were banished to the outskirts of the city because they were so sick, so deformed and so highly contagious. They knew the law very well and obeyed it by staying within the boundary that had been set for them. But as Jesus and His disciples were passing through the village one day, their only option was to shout from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us”! Jesus saw them and responded by telling them to “show themselves to the priests”. And in obedience to what Jesus commanded, they were cleansed! Can you imagine what was going through their minds as they made their way to the priests? They looked at their hands and there were no more disfiguring sores! Fingers or noses that had previously rotted and fallen off from the disease . . . were all now in place again! One of the lepers may have exclaimed to the other; “Look at your face; it is as smooth as the day you were born!”
But this is where the story takes a turn. Nine of the lepers, caught up in the joy of being reinstated into society, probably immediately went out to find friends and family whom they hadn’t seen in months, but Luke 17:15-16 says “one of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him.” Jesus then asked, “Were there not ten that were cleansed; should not ten have returned to give God praise?”
The tenth one had distinguished himself as one who was thankful . . . and he didn’t have a problem expressing it! His original request was made with a “loud” voice . . . but his resulting thankfulness and praise to God was also made with a “loud’ voice! And, as a result, his reward was greater than the other nine. Yes, their obedience to His command resulted in their physical healing. But as the tenth leper bowed in humility at Jesus’ feet and worshipped Him, Jesus told him that his faith had made him whole. He was not only healed of leprosy, but every aspect of his life was restored. What a difference being thankful makes!
What this biblical account shows is that God responds positively to a thankful heart. In addition to physical healing, through his expressed thankfulness, the tenth leper also received:
• Jesus’ personal proclamation of blessing,
• a complete restoration – body, soul and spirit
• and a greater intimacy with God.
Yes, it is always a good thing for us to give thanks unto the Lord! So with our voices raised and our hands lifted high, “….be thankful unto Him, and bless His name, for the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations.”(Psalm 100: 4-5)
Content with little, content with much;
how could this possibly be?
Because my love, my devotion, my focus, my passion
is Jesus . . . and that makes me happy.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace . . .
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone are more than enough
for me to be totally thankful.
What more do I need? What more could I want?
Dare I moan about things I have not?
Should my contentment be based upon possessions and wealth
or the treasure of my friendship with God?
A Redeemer who died in my place for my sin
deserves all I have, all that I am.
If I devote my attention to earthly success,
it dilutes my devotion to Him.
He’s the One I was created to glorify;
not my self, my desires, my fulfillment.
If He is my focus, I need nothing more ~
because He is the source of contentment.
Salvation, forgiveness, mercy and grace,
a Father who is forever faithful;
these things alone should be more than enough.
They are. And He is. And I’m thankful.
So let us with great thanksgiving,
go through His open gates,
enter His courts with worship and praise,
give thanks and bless His name!
He’s our sweet Jehovah Jireh;
He provides all we’ll ever need.
Our Jehovah Shalom, He eases our mind;
He is our Prince of Peace.
He protects us from the lies of men
because His name is also Truth.
Lord, you’re our Living Water
and we’re continually refreshed by You.
Our good and gentle Shepherd,
with Your guidance we’ll never stray.
The path we follow is Yours alone
because You, Lord, are the Way.
You greet us softly with each new day;
You’re our Bright and Morning Star.
Because You are the Great I Am,
You are all these things and more.
Oh Father, we are so thankful
that Your name is holy and true.
You are our everything; You are our all!
We delight in praising You!
So let us with great thanksgiving,
go through Your open gates,
enter Your courts with worship and praise,
give thanks and bless Your name!
– Cheri Henderson
http://cherihenderson.wordpress.com
Created For Today 