“Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever”. Psalm 106:1

Are you thankful? Always? Why are you thankful? To Whom are you thankful?

Thanks giving should be a way of life, something we do 24×7, 365 days a year rather than just during the Thanksgiving holiday. We have so many reasons to be thankful. Some of us may have no problem quickly coming up with a list of things for which we are thankful …a job, family, freedom, good friends, and good health. The question now is… to Whom are we thankful? Inspirational bible verses remind us of the many reasons we can rejoice.

Every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). We may be tempted to argue that our job results from being a “brains” and from hard years of study, or that our friends are the result of our charm, character and thoughtfulness, or that we live in a country where we enjoy freedoms, or we were born in a “good family” or that our family has been shaped from years of love, discipline and “good broughtupsy”. But as is asked in 1 Corinthians 4:7 – “… who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” We have received all these things by the grace of God.

As He has given us these things, these are also His to take away. There may be those of us who are going through that valley right now. How can we be thankful? For those of us with a personal relationship with Christ,we can be thankful despite the circumstances.

• We can rejoice always because our rejoicing are in the things that are eternal and can never be taken away from us.
• We rejoice and are thankful that our names are written in the book of life (Luke 10:20).
• We rejoice that we have a kingdom that cannot be shaken (Heb12:28).
• We know that nothing compares to the excellence of knowing Christ (Phil3:8).
• We rejoice that He is our exceeding great reward (Gen 15:1).
• We rejoice that this reward is incorruptible, undefiled and does not fade away (1 Peter 1:4).
• We rejoice that His love for us is so great, the Psalmist describes it as reaching to the heavens (Psalm 36:5).
• We rejoice that He is sovereign (Isaiah 46: 9-11) and that He will work out all things that He allows to good for those who love Him and are called for His purpose (Romans 8:28).
• We rejoice that through each trial He is with us, helping and strengthening us (Isaiah 41:10).

If you do not have a personal relationship with Christ, you may be thankful but to whom are you thankful and why are you thankful? Are you thankful to the One who gives you life and gives you each breath? Is your joy placed solely in things that do not last and can be taken away from you tomorrow? God has been and continues to be kind to you. He has not only provided you with earthly blessings, but He offers lasting blessings through Jesus Christ. He has provided the way to heaven and to a treasure that will not degrade, perish or pass away, a treasure that cannot betaken from you. Discover how to receive this lasting gift for which you can be thankful year round.

Let us all give thanks to the Lord for He is good, and His Mercy endures forever!