Give Thanks!

Give Thanks!

Psalm 105:1 KJV

[1] O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: Make known his deeds among the people.

How do we define 'thanksgiving? One version online says it is 'a fundamental aspect of God's people and is a way to express praise and gratitude to God for his many blessings'. I note the part where it says it is from God's people. Why is this distinction relevant? Who else can best know the value of who God is and what he does, other than people with a personal and experiential knowledge of this God? How can you expect someone with no knowledge of God to express thanksgiving the right way to God? You just cannot take God out of the equation. Do you know this God, or is there any other false version of a god that you are holding on to? Remember, if it is not the real deal, no amount of talking, shouting or arguing will change it. You either find and hold on to the true God, or you settle for the lies of the devil, which will lead to eternal doom. As always, the choice is mine to make, but the consequences are eternal. 

The verse above is a call by someone with personal experience on the value of giving thanks to the Lord. Why is this call important? It comes from a place of appreciation of who God is, what He can do, what He has done in the past. It also holds the hope of greater things that are yet to happen, but you know, with confidence, that the One who promises has the ability, capacity and capability to do all He has promised. One thing that is also implied from the verse above is that our souls will always seek out the spiritual. We were made by God, and his breath was placed in us, which means that there will always be in us a hunger for something deep. Many will fill the vacuum with devotion to false gods, vain glory and pointless labour. All of us will, at some point in our lives, submit to a spiritual authority. That authority will define what we do and what we get, as well as where we end up. 

For those who know God, they call on Him for help and He answers. For those who know this God, they have access to help that no other authority can provide or sustain. For those who call upon God, they provoke Him to act on their behalf, and when God has done His bit, they are also quick to testify of His mighty power. How can anyone who has had a personal experience of God's mighty works then keep quiet? It is by testifying to God's mighty works that other people are encouraged to seek and submit to God. It is by my light that other people are drawn to God. How is your light? Does it shine so bright that people cannot ignore me? It is important that my life is the template for the display of the splendour of God. By my personal actions, I must make God known. Can this be said of me today? God's time of favour is here.