Ministers Blogs
“Let’s Give Thanks”
Categories: Christian PrinciplesThere is a story told of a good king in Spain known as Alfonso XIX who learned that the boys who served in his court were forgetting to pray before their meals. So, he decided to teach them a lesson. He gave a banquet and invited them to attend. Midway through the dinner a ragged beggar came in, sat down, and began eating ravenously. When he was finished, he went out without saying a word.
“That ungrateful wretch ought to be whipped,” shouted the boys. “He ate the king’s food and never showed gratitude.” Quietly the king rose to his feet, and silence fell over the group. “Daily you have taken the rich blessings of life from the hand of your Heavenly Father,” said the king. “You’ve enjoyed His sunshine, breathed His air, eaten His food He has provided, and you have not bothered to say ‘thank you’ for any of them. You are more ungrateful than that beggar.”
How many of us are like those unthankful boys, we accept God’s daily blessings as commonplace, rather than the special gifts they are.
The Bible teaches us that as Christians we should be known for our thankfulness. We are to be the type of people who give thanks for our daily food and needs as Jesus did (Mt. 15:36). We are to give thanks for our salvation. 1 Cor. 15:57, states, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” We are to give thanks when good is done for us. In Lk. 17:16 only one leper returned to say thank you to Jesus for when his leprosy was healed. Let’s be like that, thankful for when good is done to us. May we give thanks for Christ’s church. Rm. 16:4, Paul said, “he gave thanks for all the churches…”
Let’s give thanks always. Eph. 5:20, teaches, “giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Over 550 times in the Bible thankfulness is mentioned or referred to, that is almost two Bible verses a day to remind us to be thankful. So, let’s give thanks!
By Mark T. Tonkery
