Give Thanks

This is definitely the month for thoughts on the topic of thankfulness. Recently, I heard the youth pastor of our church, Jared Butler, share a Thanksgiving message with us, and it was a great blessing. Since I am an interpreter for our church, I don’t have the opportunity to take notes, so I am sharing the acrostic and the words he used in his message, adding my own choices of verses and thoughts to go with each item for which I am grateful. I hope this is a blessing to you.

During this time of the year, as I focus on giving thanks for my blessings, my thoughts cannot help but turn to God. Using the acrostic, GIVE THANKS, here are ten things for which I am most grateful today and every day.

G – Grace

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:” – Ephesians 2:8

There is nothing that you or I could do to merit the favor of God. The Bible tells us clearly that everyone is a sinner (Romans 3:23) and undeserving of anything God has to offer, yet He has loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) and gave us His Son, Jesus, to become the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). The grace of God provided what we could never have attained ourselves. It is through His grace that we have been given forgiven and saved from our sins. For that, I am eternally grateful.

I – Instruction

“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” – 2 Timothy 3:16

God didn’t just create us and then leave us to exist on our own. He gave us His Word to teach us. It’s like our “owner’s manual” for life. Whatever we need can be found in the pages of the Bible, and then as Christians, we have His Spirit indwelling us (Romans 8:9) who teaches through God’s Word. So many countries of the world forbid their citizens to own a Bible. I am so grateful for the Word of God that I have in my hand every day.

V – Verses

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” – Psalm 119:105

Going along with “Instruction”, I am so grateful for individual verses in the Bible that God uses to speak to my heart. The Bible has often been referred to as the “living Word”, and this is demonstrated in my life when I read it. So often I have read a verse with which I am quite familiar, yet it takes on a new meaning for my life and a particular situation I am facing. There are also specific verses that I cling to when challenges come… ones that I have memorized from years past, and the Spirit of God brings them to remembrance just when I need them most. For that, I am exceedingly thankful.

E – Eternal life

“That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:15

God has promised me a home in heaven! In fact, Jesus is there right now preparing a place for me (John 14:2). When I trusted Christ as my Saviour, I immediately became a joint-heir with Him (Romans 8:17) and a recipient of all the promises of God, including an eternal dwelling place in heaven! I am so very grateful for my future home with my Saviour!

T – Truth

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” – John 17:17

In a world where “truth is relevant”, the Bible has a truth that is absolute. There is no need to rewrite the Scriptures because they are timeless and 100% true. There is no need to wonder if certain passages of the Bible are “relevant” for this generation because every part of the Bible is relevant and speaks absolute truth for everyone today, just as it did for those in the past and will do for those in the future! My faith is not founded on shaky ground, but rather it is based upon the solid truth of Scripture! That is truly something for which I am incredibly thankful!

H – Help

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” – Hebrews 4:16

Knowing that my heavenly Father is the Almighty God who made all things, can do all things, controls all things, AND invites me to come to Him when I need help is amazing! Because I am His child, I can go to Him at any time, and He can and will help me through anything that life throws my way. When I am afraid, God helps me (Psalm 56:3). When I am in need, God provides what I need (Philippians 4:19). When I am at my wit’s end, God reminds me He is there for me (Isaiah 41:10). His mercy truly endures forever (Psalm 136:26), and He extends that mercy to me when He helps me each day.  Thank You, Lord, for your help in all areas of my life!

A – Access

“For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” – Ephesians 2:18

When Jesus died on the cross, the Bible records that “…the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Mark 15:38). This act signified that all those who will come to trust in Christ as Saviour now will have access to God Himself… the barrier has been removed by the work of Christ on the cross. I don’t need anyone to pray on my behalf when I want to share my heart with God. I can pray to Him directly and have the assurance that He is listening to me. In fact, He wants me to come to Him in prayer continually (I Thessalonians 5:17). Knowing that I have access to the Creator of the universe, Almighty God, twenty-fours a day is a blessing beyond words. I am so grateful that I serve a God who is approachable and desires me to come to Him.

N – New life

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” – Romans 6:4

My new life in Jesus doesn’t begin when I get to heaven. It began the moment He forgave my sins! My eternal life began when I surrendered myself to Jesus as Lord and Saviour of my life. That was when I became a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” My new life comes with a level of peace and joy and contentment that the world cannot offer. Thank You, Lord, for my new life!

K – Knowledge

“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 4:6

I can vividly remember when I realized I was a sinner. That knowledge changed my life because it was then that I bowed my head and asked Jesus to forgive me and become my Saviour. From that moment, I have continued to learn more and more about the Lord, and my faith has grown. As His Holy Spirit continues to teach me through the Word of God, I develop a deeper knowledge of who God is and what my relationship to Him means for me. Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge…”, and I am so thankful I continue to acquire more knowledge of Him through His Word.

S – Sanctification

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:” – 2 Thessalonians 2:13

Sanctification means being declared holy and free from sin. This has been accomplished in my life solely through my belief and acceptance of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. The shedding of His precious blood and His sacrificial death purchased my salvation, thus sanctifying me and making me acceptable to God. When I accepted the free gift of salvation, the Holy Spirit began a “good work” in me (Philippians 1:6). I have been sanctified for a specific purpose by God, set apart for His use, to do His work. One day, that work will be completed, and I will be in the presence of my God! I am so thankful for sanctification!

Thank you Lord, for saving my soul
Thank you Lord, for making me whole;
Thank you Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation so rich and free.

(from “Thank You, Lord” by Seth and Bessie Sykes)

“O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever.”- Psalm 188:1

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Clearly, as Pastor Butler shared, it’s more than just “thanks-giving”. My life is to be one of “thanks-living”. How about you?