Not everyone has it easy.

But everyone has a reason to give thanks to such a giving God

Have you ever tried to count the stars on a clear night? Or sit on a beach and count the waves as they roll in. We love to go to the beach. It’s one of our favorite places to go. (Have you ever tried to count how many grains of sand it takes to make a beach?) Obviously, any of these tasks would be impossible to accomplish and frustrating to try. Have you ever tried to count the total number of God’s blessings you have enjoyed? If you have, you have also come to realize two things:

One, they are too many to count and you have come to the same conclusion David did in Ps 40:5 “Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us Cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” It would be frustrating to try, but it’s a good frustration. (The second things you would discover is…) I may not always have it easy, but I always have a reason to give thanks to God. As we head into a month of Thanksgiving, I want us to spend a little time reflecting on giving thanks to God.

We ought to spend more time remembering the blessings and the benefits God is continually giving us. But, let’s be honest, it is easier to complain than to give thanks. However, there is so much God has given us to be thankful for.

Just to name a few: He has given us His love and sent us Jesus (Jn. 3:16). He has given us our great salvation (Heb. 2:3) He has given us the forgiveness of sin (Rom. 6:23; 1 Jn. 1:9) So, we are to live for Him as forgiven sinners. He gives us eternal life. This is not just a future reality – our life in Him is a present bestowment.  He gives us sonship: “Beloved, now are we the sons of God!” In this relationship there are many other gifts we receive from God, and if we do not possess them it is because we are not God’s children in faith! We ask God to help us, to meet some need, to do something for you, and the Lord mercifully does it. These are just some of the things we should thank God every day for giving us. As we consider these things, we should make a big deal of them. But there are many other things God has done for us that we should give Him thanks for. Let’s take some time now and give thanks for what great things God has given us that we are thankful for. May we be encouraged today and every day, that we have such a giving God. and may we say with Asaph, “We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.”