Psalm 136:1-3

Sunday our family visited the Skyview Church in Pinellas Park where Charles Murray serves as one of the pastors as well as a preacher.

His sermon text was from Psalm 136 on the topic of “Thanksgiving,” which is a wonderful passage for us to ponder prior to our American Thanksgiving Day.

The Psalm begins with this exhortation:

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods!
For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords!
For His mercy endures forever:

The word “thanks” is found 75 times in the Bible. Thanksgiving is found 32 times. And 4 times we find the words “thankful” or “thankfulness.” It’s obvious from scripture that God desires that we possess a thankful spirit.

Psalm 136 recounts Israel’s history and reminds them of the many ways God had blessed them. Warren Wiersbe provides an outline that offers an interesting study with a focus on who God is and what He had done for them.

• The Creator–He Brings Forth (vv. 1-9).
• The Redeemer-He Bring Us Out (vv 10-12).
• The Shepherd–He Brings Us Through (vv 13-16).
• The Conqueror–He Bring Us In (vv 17-22).
• The Deliverer–He Brings Us Back (vv 23-25).

While the text applies to Israel, it’s not difficult to consider these points in our own lives and see God’s providence, and realize how He’s provided, protected, and blessed us in so many ways.

In Charles’ lesson he made the point that it’s easy to be unthankful. To focus on yourself. To look at your life negatively instead of positively. To complain instead of be thankful. And to focus on what you don’t have instead of what you do have.

To help us develop a grateful heart, and “to give thanks unto the Lord,” Charles offered these suggestions.

#1 Regularly practice giving thanks.

Every day thank God for your blessings. In the morning. At noontime. At meal time. At bed time. Take time to say “thank you, Lord.” And be sure to say “thank you” to others on a regular basis. When you repeatedly express “thanks” it becomes ingrained as an action habit and soon becomes an attitude.

#2 Express gratitude regardless of the situation.

The Bible admonishes, “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5:18).

Even in the most difficult situation, there is always something for which we can be thankful. The story is told of Matthew Henry, the 17th century preacher and Bible expositor, who was once robbed. In reflecting on 1 Thessalonians 5:18, he related his experience in his next sermon and offered this insight.

“First,” he said, “I am thankful I have never been robbed before. Second, I am thankful he took my money and not my life. Third, I am thankful he did not take more; he could have taken my horse and my clothes as well. Next, I am thankful that what I had stolen from me really did not amount to very much. Then I am grateful that what I lost, in time, could be replaced. But, finally, and most importantly, I am thankful that I was the one robbed and not the robber!”

#3 Praise God when all is well.

Too often we can take for granted our blessings, our prosperity, and good health. When everything is going well for us, we may become complacent and forgetful that our blessings come from God.

Sadly, some even begin to take credit for their good fortune, forgetting that not only the Lord but many people often contribute to the success they enjoy in life.

#4 Learn how bad experiences can make you stronger and more grateful.

The apostle spoke his suffering in ministry. Beatings. Stoning. Imprisonment. Plus mental and emotional burdens in his care of the churches. Not only that he suffered some type of “thorn in the flesh,” for which he prayed for relief. God’s answer, however, was “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Paul’s response?

“Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Be thankful even in tough times. Let them make you better, not bitter.

#5 Make gratitude a part of your interactions with others

This attitude of gratitude ought to be reflected in all of our relationships. Expressing thankfulness to others who serve us, help us, encourage us, or in some way, big or small, brighten our lives, not only encourages them, but helps us be more thankful.

On the eve of this Thanksgiving Day, make it more than just a day of food and fun with your family and friends. Stop and truly, “give thanks unto the Lord for He is good.”

One final thought from Melody Beattie. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman