A Plea For True Thankfulness

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  Psalm 107:8

      Why is it so difficult for us to be truly, as in complete and wholehearted, thankful to our God?  We are so eager to be thankful to a person who shows us some favor or does something we think of as wonderful.  But when it comes to God, Who literally gives us everything we have, we forget.  Or worse yet, we complain that He hasn't done enough!  It is from our Heavenly Father that we receive all that we have.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."  James 1:17   Praise the Lord, not man.   

            Humans have nothing and do nothing to be praised for.  This might be a hard thought for some to entertain.  But it is the truth.  We have nothing of our own that merits any praise or honor.  The word for praise means to give thanks, confess as in acknowledge as fact.  It contains the idea of  'stretch out the open hand' which shows that I have nothing.  I must receive all things from the one I am stretched out toward.

            When we praise another human being we are revealing our own pride.  We give them something we have.  It might be our effusive words, a position of honor, money, or some other token of our greatness in acknowledging them.  But when we praise God, it must be done in an attitude of humility and submission.  We reach out an empty hand, showing that we claim nothing of our own as an offering.  We freely admit that we must receive from Him all things.  "All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee."  1 Chronicles 29:14  

            But more than just realizing and acknowledging our great need, a spirit of thankfulness is for our own good.  It is not just a necessary part of life, it is essential for life to exist at all.  Proverbs 17:22 says:  "A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries up the bones."   A merry heart is a rejoicing heart, an attitude of joy and thanksgiving.  What happens when we receive a gift?  We are happy, we say thank you, we have joy.  This positive emotion, this "merry heart" brings healing and maintains health.  But a "broken spirit", depression, guilt, self-centeredness, failure to acknowledge thanks for what I have received, will depress the immune system.  We become more susceptible to pain and disease.

      Today let us determine to follow the words of Psalm 9:1:  "I will give thanks unto the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all Thy marvelous works."  Let us give thanks wholeheartedly, in all we do.  Then let's tell others how wonderful God is and how much we love Him.   We have so very much to be thankful for!  "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"