Give Thanks

by John Gipson

I’m glad we have a Thanksgiving Day in the United States for it reminds me of the thanks I should be offering every day. I’m persuaded that many of us take our blessings for granted. We have been the recipients of so many of them, for so long, that we have grown accustomed to them, and scarcely think of the source from which we have received them.

I can identify with Asaph of old who confessed to God, “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you” (Psalm 73:21-22). That’s strong language, isn’t it? But Asaph knew that he was like a beast, utterly irrational, behaving in a stupid, absurd manner. At last he was being honest and truthful with himself. He had failed to stop and think. He had refused to reason and ponder.

Asaph held some ideas about the godly and ungodly life which were quite false. At first glance it seemed that the ungodly prospered, and the godly suffered, therefore Asaph was given to complaining.

Perhaps if we are honest we will discover that we, too, have walked in Asaph’s shoes. We tend to take all the gifts and pleasures, the happiness and joy of life, without saying much to God about it, and then the moment anything goes wrong we begin to grumble and complain and say, “Why should God do this to me? Why should this happen to me?”

But one day Asaph went into the house of God. It was there that he stopped acting like an ignoramus and began to count the blessings which God had given him.

First, there was companionship. “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand” (Psalm 73:23).

Secondly, there was guidance. “You guide me with your counsel” (Psalm 73:24).

And finally there was glory. “And afterward you will take me into glory” (Psalm 73:24).

When you begin to think about it, every child of God has the great blessings of companionship, guidance, and glory. What gratitude should fill our hearts!