Be Thankful

A couple of years back I helped a brother remodel his basement. We put in new floors, new steps, and painted. One very backbreaking thing we did was to tear out an old brick-planter which was as large as an average fireplace. Now I was 62, he was 79. It was hard work for anyone, carrying hundreds of large red bricks up the steps, out through the garage and then out back. It took us hours. I will never forget this one thing. Just while I was thinking about the ache in my back, being sorry that I am always so quick to volunteer, this much older brother said, “Man o’ man, my legs hurt, my hands are cramping, and my back is burning, but brother, at my age I am so very thankful to the Lord that I am even able to work like this. He said, David, always be thankful for every little thing God affords you.

Fact is, I don’t spend enough time meditating and being thankful for all that God has done for me and enables me to do. When I consider everything that God is doing, has done and has promised to do—I’m humbled by His unfathomable love for me, and for all people. I often, as the Psalmist, ask why? “What is man that You are mindful of him…?” (Psa. 8:4). Why do you even give attention to me, or why do you care for me? Truthfully, I am nothing. When Isaiah wrote, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags…”  (Isa. 64:6), I read this as, David, you are like an unclean thing, and all your righteousnesses are like filthy rags. And still—underserved as it is—God continues to bless me—just as He does all of you. So, I must stop every once in a while, and consider His blessings being thankful for His Tremendous Love, my family, and the fellowship with the body of Christ.

Be thankful for His Tremendous Love. Here is a list of a few scriptures that focus our attention on being thankful to the Lord. Psa. 50:14: “Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High”, Psa. 105:1: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!” Psa. 106:1: “Praise[a] the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Col. 3:15: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” or “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18). Then Hebrews, “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, [a]giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:15). Ephesians 5 and 20, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”, Colossians 3:17: “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him”. 1 Corinthians 15:57, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”, and “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).

Be thankful that “God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 And He has made from one [a]blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings” (Acts 17:24-26). God’s intention—that all of mankind would use this life and free-choice to choose to love and serve Him (Acts 17:27) “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us”. Be truly thankful for the honor and ability for a relationship with our creator God.

“Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.”

Psalm 34:3

Be thankful for what God’s love does for us. He Picks us Up after we Fail. “The steps of a good man are [a]ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand” (Psa. 37:23-24). His love has established, a way through which we can be saved from our sins—and to help us when we do fall short. He Shows us the “Right Way” through His Son, and the word of God, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16), “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’” (John 8:12), and “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6). God’s love has offered us direction that can be known by no other way, He, “has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” (Heb. 1:2).

Be thankful that He gives us every opportunity. God’s love for us allows Him to perpetuate this world with a desire for our repentance “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Be thankful for the, “Love never fails…” (1 Cor. 13:8). Not rude or unseemly, never seeking personal advantage, always desirous of being a part of the greater whole without bringing any corruptions into the mix. Grateful and thankful enough to develop a desire to love our brethren, and to be loved by our brethren willing to serve one another like our Master, “14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:14-17).

Be thankful enough to allow God’s love, God’s word to be the driving force behind our spiritual lives—to allow Him to guide us to behave like Christians must “9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, patient[a] in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given[b] to hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:9-15).

Be truly thankful for God’s word that reminds us all of what is truly important in this life and for the one to come. With thanksgiving embrace God’s love for you, for your family, and your brethren. Be thankful for every opportunity to extend the gospel plan of salvation to every soul (Romans 1:16)

There is a lot to be thankful to God for in this life. If you have not obeyed the gospel why not obey today? Believe and be baptized for the remission of your sins, and God will add you to the church, the body of Christ where all the spiritual blessing are (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38, 47; Eph. 1:3) add the incomparable blessing of your soul’s salvation to the list? The opportunity is yours, right now!

As always,

in Love

Dave Scarpino

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 60:30)

Our faithful Creator is worthy to be praised in this assembly. All praise to Him who reigns above in majesty supreme! He gave His Son to die, for all mankind, that He might redeem all. Our blessed Redeemer suffered and died for our sins and is now risen and sitting at the right hand of God as Head of the church. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, knowing that He is the author of eternal salvation to all those who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:8-9) “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” (Isaiah 6:3)

“And one cried to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!’” (Isaiah 6:3)