Village Schools of the Bible

Why Celebrate Thanksgiving?
A study in Psalm 100
by Max Frazier, Jr.

Have you ever wondered why we take one day each year to reflect upon God and to express our thankfulness to him? I believe that the answer to our question is found here in Psalm 100, a most familiar psalm which we all have memorized at one point in our Christian life.

Who God Is

God is God. The psalmist writes in verse 3, Know that the Lord is God....Yes, God is God. This might sound redundant but it is important. The pagans do not have Thanksgiving. Why? Because they do not have THE GOD. It is only the one, true, living God who demands praise and thanksgiving.

We are living in an age where pantheism, the belief in many gods, is on the rise, especially because of the philosophies taught by the New Age religious leaders. The prophet Isaiah accurately describes the futility of a belief in any form of idolatry (read Isaiah 44:12-20). Then he issues a command in verse 21 which we need to heed today. He writes, Remember these things.... There is only one God. He is not dead. He is. He demands our praise and thanksgiving.

God is good. Verse 5 proclaims, For the Lord is good....We often reflect upon the fact of God's love. But the Bible relates equally that God is good and is the author of good things. In Genesis 1, after every creating day, God proclaimed that the world was good. Paul related in Romans 8:28 that all things work together for good to those who love God. And why is this? Because it comes from a good God. James admonished that every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above (read James 1:17). Have we thanked God for his goodness to us?

During a harvest festival in India, an old widow arrived at her church with an extraordinarily large offering of rice - far more than the poor woman could be expected to afford. The itinerant pastor of the church did not know the widow well. But he did know that she was very poor and so he asked her if she were making the offering in gratitude for some unusual blessing. "Yes," replied the woman. "My son was sick and I promised a large gift to God if he got well." "And your son has recovered?" asked the pastor. The widow paused. "No," she said. "He died last week. But I know that he is in God's care; for that I am especially thankful." (copied, source unknown)

God is everlasting. The psalmist continues in verse 5 with these words, His love endures forever. Our God has no beginning or ending. The Bible begins with a statement of fact that even before there was a beginning there was God. He is the Alpha and the Omega. He is the Beginning and the Ending.

God is merciful. Again, notice in verse 5, His mercy is everlasting (KJV). This word "mercy" relates to God's interactions with his people. God is involved with me. God is involved with you. God is interested in what I am doing. And he is interested in what is happening in your life. God cares about you and me. Peter wrote, Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).

God is forever faithful. These are the closing words in verse 5, His faithfulness continues through all generations. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (read Hebrews 13:8). God is always there. We might become unfaithful to him, but we have his promise that he will never become unfaithful to us (read 2 Timothy 2:13).

What God Has Done for Us

God has made us. Verse 3 proclaims, It is he who made us....I can remember well being in the delivery room when our only son was born. To observe those little fingers and toes, those bright eyes which try so hard to focus; to be amazed as that little body stretches and begins to experience the freedoms outside of the womb is one of the greatest miracles in life. We were made by a master designer (read Psalm 139:13-16).

But as amazing as is the miracle of our physical birth, more amazing are the realities of our spiritual birth. I have always thrilled at the way the Living Bible puts John 17:23, I in them, and you in me, all being perfected into one - so that the world will know you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me. That is the miracle of our spiritual birth: God loved you and me as much as he loved his own Son. I cannot comprehend the magnitude of this love. It is no wonder that Charles Wesley could write these words as he reflected upon his own salvation: Amazing love, how can it be, that you my God should die for me!

God is our ruler. We are his people. Jesus not only wants to be our Savior, he wants to be our Lord and Master. He desires that we completely yield ourselves to him and allow him to rule in our lives.

God is our provider. We are his sheep. David declared in Psalm 23 that the Lord was his shepherd and therefore he would not want any good thing. Paul declared in Philippians 4:19 that God had promised to supply all his needs according to God's riches in glory through Christ Jesus. I would like to share the following story which I first read many years ago. It is simply a reminder of how rich we are in Christ.

They huddled inside the storm door - two children in ragged out-grown coats. "Any old papers, Lady?" I was busy. I wanted to say no - until I looked down at their feet. Thin little sandals sopped with snow and slush. "Come in and I'll make you a cup of hot cocoa," I said. There was no conversation. Their soggy sandals left marks upon the hearthstone. Cocoa and toast with jam to fortify against the chill outside. I went back to the kitchen and started again on my household chores. The silence in the front room struck through to me. I looked in. The girl held her empty cup in her hands, looking at it. The boy asked in a flat voice: "Lady...are you rich?" "Am I rich? Mercy no!" I looked at my shabby slipcovers. The girl put her cup back in its saucer- carefully. "Your cups match your saucers," she said. Her voice was old, with a hunger that was not of the stomach. They left then, holding their bundles of papers against the wind. They hadn't said thank you. They didn't need to. They had said more than that. Plain blue pottery cups and saucers. But they matched. I tested the potatoes and stirred the gravy. Potatoes and brown gravy...a roof over our heads, my husband with a steady job...these things matched, too. I moved the chairs back from the fire and tidied the living room. The muddy prints of small sandals were still wet on my hearth. I let them be. I want them in case I ever forget how rich I am. (copied, source unknown)

God has saved us. Verse 4 states that we are to enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. The courts belong to God (read Isaiah 1:12). God controls the access to the gates (read Revelation 21:27). When the psalmist tells us to enter God's courts and gates, the only way that is possible is through SALVATION and the only way to be saved is to accept God's way - through Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

We have so much for which to be thankful to God. I have been reminded many times of what Martin Luther said: We cannot give God anything; for everything is already His, and all we have comes from Him. We can only give Him praise, thanks and honor.

Yet how many times this past year have I caught myself grumbling to the Father. How often I react toward God's goodness to me as Israel did with God in the wilderness - major grumbling and complaining. How I need the reminders which come from this great psalm of all that God has done for me through Jesus Christ.

And that is why I need a day of Thanksgiving.

A LEGEND (Mildred M. North)

Two angels, so the legend ran, Came to earth as day began. One carried a basket deep and wide, The other a small one by his side.

Then spoke one of the Heavenly pair: "Oh, but this world is wondrous fair! If it were not for Heaven I'd be content to dwell on earth beneath the firmament. My basket is large, I'll soon begin to gather men's thanks, and pack them in."

Said the other, "I'll help you when I get done. I'm to gather their wants in this little one, And the sighs and murmurs of those who pout - But it's large enough, without a doubt. God's bounties are scattered on every side, You'll need your basket deep and wide."

Away they sped, and as darkness came, They met again, but not the same. Both were weary, both were sad; They'd found so little to make them glad.

Said he with the basket wide and deep, "My heart is heavy. It makes me weep. Look in my basket - you'll discover the thanksgivings scarcely the bottom cover!"

"While I, " said the other, "have made three trips with the wants and complaints from the people's lips!"

Only a legend - yes - and yet - If the angels came, what would they get?

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