Thank You Lord

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

On October 3, 1789, President George Washington proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day. His proclamation began:

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

The many signal favors of Almighty God, hallelujah! And so, nearly 220 years later we still gather around our tables to celebrate a day of giving thanks for all God has provided. Working backward in the key verse above we see God reminding us that we need to be thankful. It is a shame that given all God has done and continues to do for us, that sometimes we can forget this simple instruction; "be thankful." The Bible is replete with verses about being thankful before almighty God. Here are some examples of the level of thanksgiving we are called to as believers in Christ:

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1Thesselonians 5:18

It is the will of God for us to give thanks in all circumstances, not just when we feel like it. God is not looking for believers who are thankful only when they get their way but who recognize the sovereignty of God in their lives. The true test comes when things are not going well and yet we still praise Him!

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15

Our thanksgiving is not supposed to stop! We are to be continually offering praise unto God. Sometimes we can get bogged down in our lives or in the disappointments the world brings our way and we can let that affect our hearts. The enemy hates when we praise God, so one of the strategies he employs is to bring things into our lives to mute that praise.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; - Philippians 4:6

We are also supposed to pray and entreat God in thanksgiving. Why? Because sometimes we can get into the habit of turning prayer, which is supposed to be a time of relationship with God, into a request session for what we think we lack. By incorporating a thankful mindset into our prayers we can defeat this habit because by being thankful we are focusing on what we do have. That is the key to peace.

Going back to the key verse we see that God actually says we are called to peace. That calling is often times difficult in a very unmerciful world. If we do not walk in peace, we have a far easier time forgetting all that God has done in our lives. If we fall into that habit, then praise falls from our lips far less often. That is the scheme of the enemy. He knows you were called to peace and to praise God so he seeks to disrupt that calling. As humans we often like to focus on what we don't have. We tend to focus on how bad things are in our lives. Maybe we don't like our job and forget to be thankful for having a job (especially in this economy). Maybe we are upset at the end of a relationship without reflecting on what God taught us through it. But what about what we do have? Our lives, our protection, or our freedom? How about our blessed assurance of eternal life? Remember the promise of Jesus:

In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." John 14: 2-4

If we profess to believe what we believe then we need to hold onto this verse far more tightly than we do. Jesus has prepared a place for us and we need to remember the setbacks and tragedies of this life are but a drop in the ocean of eternity. Is this easy? Not without peace.

Finishing the key verse, God also says that we must have the peace of God rule in our hearts. We are not only called to peace, but we must let it rule our hearts. The condition of our heart is a crucial matter for the Lord:

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (NKJV)

How we deal with the issues of life will depend on the condition of our heart and how we keep it, or guard it. The world makes it too easy to allow strife, depression, or anger to rule our hearts. For some it might be fear, bitterness or pride. There is no lack of competition for what will rule our hearts living in this world. That is why God has provided us with the blueprint to combat these things; His peace. When you remember how much He loved you to save your soul, you will find His peace overruling your anger or strife. When you remember that the joy of the Lord is your strength, you will find His peace overruling your depression. When you remember that God did not give you a spirit of fear but one of power, love and a sound mind, you will find His peace overruling your fear. When you remember how much God overlooked in your past in forgiving you, you will find His peace overruling your bitterness. When you remember that it is God who has provided all that you have, you will find His peace overruling your pride.

Without His peace we will find ourselves being ruled by the very things we often do not like in others or ourselves. Our heart can be hardened by our feelings. That hardening can lead to feeling unthankful and as a result, we will find it increasingly difficult to praise God. The bitter person does not think that he has anything to be thankful for. The prideful person thinks they have accomplished their success themselves; no need to thank anyone else. The depressed person has a heart filled with such sorrow within themselves, about themselves, that they often will not stop to reflect to God and thank Him.

And thank Him we should. He has saved us from ourselves and this world. He has gone to prepare a room for us and given us eternal life. He has given us His word as a guide through this life and has implored us to guard our hearts and allow His peace to rule. Continuing in the Philippians verse referenced earlier:

Be anxious for nothing, 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 minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6-7

It is His peace that guards our hearts beloved. With our hearts guarded we are free to praise Him and offer thanksgiving to our King. Not just on a day set aside to offer thanks but every day. It should be a continuous offer of thanksgiving to God. Let His peace reign in your hearts and proclaim every day, Thanksgiving Day.

Anthony Wade Thanksgiving 2008.