Say Thank You

Ephesians 5:20, Psalm 107:1

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This past Halloween I was out trick or treating with my kids and as parents normally do I was standing by the curb with a bunch of other parents. I remember hearing a bunch of those parents calling out to their kids as they go to the front door of different people’s homes saying “Don’t forget to say thank you.”

Something that we want to teach our kids from a little on isn’t it? The importance of recognizing somebody’s going out of their way to do something nice for us, to be generous to us. Even though it’s something that we remind our kids of a lot, do we ourselves as adults do this? Do we remember just say thank you? I think there’s many adults that probably try to avoid having people help them at all costs. They don’t want people to go out of their way. They don’t want to take charity, but there are occasions when we need people’s help. Do we always remember to say thank you?

Not so long from our nation recognizes a National Day of Thanksgiving. A day in which we are to be thankful for all of the blessings that we have: for our wonderful country that provides freedom and liberty for us, to be thankful for our food and clothing, our families, our homes, and everything else that we have. But really give thanks to the giver of these things. To give thanks to God.

Sometimes we forget that God is the one who gives us everything that we have. Every good thing that we have comes from him, doesn’t it? One who created everything that we have even our own bodies that gave us even our talents and abilities and he didn’t stop there, but he even showed mercy on us, giving us his own dear Son, Jesus Christ to die for our sins. To assure us that we’ll not be punished forever because of them, but rather have eternal life forever in heaven.

Yet so often we forget to thank God, don’t we? God doesn’t just want us to thank him one time a year on Thanksgiving, but in fact in Ephesians Chapter 5 verse 20 he says this

Always give thanks for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:20)

Always gives thanks for everything. I’m sure there’s a number of you that are watching this video today that maybe were raised praying before every meal. You bow your head in prayer. And a prayer I know that we often use in our home is the common table prayer that goes like this:

Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest and let these gifts to us be blessed. Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good for his mercy endures forever.

Did you know that second half of the prayer is actually part of God’s Word? It’s recorded for us in one place in Psalm 107 verse 1 that says those very words. What a good reminder for us at mealtimes but at all times of the day at all times in our lives, to give thanks to God because he is good. God has given us tremendous blessings that we don’t deserve them. But also his mercy endures forever. God’s withholding of punishment against us, what we deserve for our sins, instead giving us his grace through His Son Jesus Christ. That never ends.

What a reason to be thankful to God at all times. How important for us to say thanks to God. Don’t just say thanks on Thanksgiving, but every day. Even bowing your head before your meals to recognize the giver of all good things. Let us pray. Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good. For his mercy endures forever, amen.