November, 1933
T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
375
W H Y GIVE THANKS ? S & I v / 0 £ B y H. L. STHENGAARD* Cambridge, Mass.
“ In every thing give thanks : fo r this is the will o f God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thess. 5 :18). the seven yearly feasts instituted by Jehovah for His ancient people, the feast described in Exodus 23 :16 resembles most nearly our Thanksgiving Day. The Bible speaks o f this joyous occasion as “ the feast of harvest, the first fruits o f thy labors, which thou hast sown in the field: and the feast o f ingathering, which is in the end of the year, when thou hast gathered in thy .labors out of the field.” Year after year, God’s people assembled thus to acknowledge His goodness. It may be that some o f David’s psalms o f thanksgiving were written for these feast days. For whatever use they were originally intended, they are invariably the expression of a deep sense o f gratitude to God for all His blessings—an attitude o f heart which ever characterized the sweet singer of, Israel. It was David,
S on : In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:12-14). For to us, as well as to those believers o f an earlier day, comes the reas suring w ord : “ The joy o f the Lord is your strength,” liter ally, “ stronghold,” “ fortress” (Neh. 8 :10 ). T hanksgiving in S pite of C ircumstances We are told to “ rejoice evermore.” Joy is the fruit o f the Spirit; it is not dependent on environment or cir cumstances. It is the measure of the fullness of the in dwelling Spirit. This explains how Paul and Silas could sing praises to God in the prison. Like them, when" provi dential circumstances would tend to discourage us, we should encourage ourselves in the Lord, trust Him fully, and rest assured that Romans 8 :28 means exactly what it says. How is this possible? In Philippians 4 :6 and 7, we are
you remember, who, on the happy occasion of the return of the ark after its capture by the Philistines, “ appointed cer tain o f the Levites to minister before the ark o f the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God o f Israel” (1 Chron. 16:4). What an altogether proper thing to do at a time like this! Perhaps it was through David’s example that Nehemiah, at the dedica tion o f the rebuilt walls of Jerusalem, appointed two great companies o f singers, who, standing on top o f the wall, sang praises to God, and gave thanks. All these, and many other saints o f Bible times, needed no examples to prompt them to gratitude. T h e ir inspiration and illumination by the Holy Spirit, and the revelations of God, filled their hearts with joy and thanksgiving. An even greater revelation is ours in Christ. No people on earth ought to be more thankful than those who have been born of the Spirit, and who are con scious o f salvation and eternal security in Christ. From the heart o f every redeemed one should forever issue praise: “ Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” Like the Apostle Paul, we should be
told to “ be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanks giving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace o f God, which pass- eth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” You do not need to pray for the ex perience o f vepse 7, if you meet the conditions o f verse 6 ; and you cannot obtain the one without the other. As we are joyful and prayerful, we shall be praiseful. W e are told, “ In every thing give thanks”— under all circumstances, whether persecution, or bereavement, or any other affliction. Paul could say, and we may say, “ I have learned, in whatso ever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instruct ed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strength- eneth me” (Phil. 4:11-13). Hundreds of years earlier, the prophet Habakkuk had learned the same lesson, when he could say : “ Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall the fruit be in the
THANKSG IVING B y B ruce M. M etzger O LORD, for all Thy blessings past and now This day our knees in grateful thanks we bow, And gratitude like incense clouds we raise. Not only in the blessings Thou hast sent, In tribulations, too, do we rejoice ; Since oaks grow great while they in storms are bent, In trials, too, we thank Thee for Thy voice. Most holy God, we bless Thee most of all That we, though sinful—lacking merit—yet To Thee may come, receiving at Thy call From Calvary free pardon for our debt. With hearts o’erflowing, praise to Thee we sing, That through all days shall make the echoes ring. To Thee we owe and give all heartfelt praise;
ever “ giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers o f the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power o f dark ness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God o f my salvation” (Hab. 3 :17, 18). Have you reached that position in Christ? Or do the things o f earth make you so anxious that you cannot
*Pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church.
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