Pioneer Christian Monthly - September, 1987

Let's Give Thanks
Jim Moerman

Let's expand the walls and borders of our thanksgiving. The Psalmist encouraged us to "enter His gates with thanksgiving". Obviously, he wasn't talking simply about doing that just on certain annual occasions (like Thanksgiving)! "Entering His gates with thanksgiving" should be a regular way of beginning our prayers to our Heavenly Father. This comes as a teaching of Jesus Christ Who knew the Father intimately. When the disciples said: "Teach us to pray", Jesus taught them to begin praying "in this manner - Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name". He taught them to begin with giving praise and thanksgiving. Obviously thanksgiving should not be an annual event, but a daily experience.

"Hallowed be Thy Name". Let's expand our thanksgiving from thanking our Father for what He does to thanking Him for what He is (although often it is difficult to separate the two). By virtue of the applied Blood of Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe stops being an impersonal Force in the heavens and starts becoming our Father with a multitude of precious characteristics:

1. He is Jehovah Tsidkenu, the Lord our Righteousness. It is part of His character to cover over all our unrighteousness with His Righteousness because of the Blood of Jesus Christ applied to our life. Have you given Him thanks recently for your salvation? Don't let the Enemy rob you of the joy of your salvation! It was, is and always will be your greatest cause for thanksgiving!

2. He is Jehovah Jireh, the Lord our Provider. It is also part of His character to provide for His Children - because of the Blood of Jesus Christ applied to our life. That's Who He is! Have you given thanks recently for the daily provisions you experience? Thank Him daily for your house, your car, your food, your clothing, your income, and so on.

3. He is Jehovah Rophe, the Lord our Healer. It is also part of His character to give our lives wholeness: spiritual wholeness, mental wholeness and physical wholeness -because of the Blood of Jesus Christ applied to our life. Have you given thanks recently that you are able to use your arms and legs? that you are in your right mind? that your spirit has been revitalized"?

4. He is Jehovah Rohi, the Lord our Shepherd. It is also part of His character to give our lives security, stability and peace - because of the Blood of Jesus Christ applied to our life. It is in His nature to lead us to quiet waters, green pastures and to restore our soul. Have you given thanks recently for your security in this life and the next?

A blessed Thanksgiving holiday season to you and yours! But don't short-change yourself of your Heavenly Father. Don't give thanks just on Thanksgiving - enter His gates with thanksgiving every day!

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