Always Give Thanks
(Ps 139:14; 1Th 5:18)
God is merciful(Ps 136:1).
He has compassion on whom He has compassion(Rm 9:15) and
He finally saves those who give thanks for His compassion(Lk 17:12-19).
Faith is knowing thanksgiving and
The life according to this faith is always giving thanks(1Co 1:4; 1Th 5:18; Phl 1:4) for
The things that He fearfully and wonderfully made, and His wonderful works(Ps 139:14).
Different from animals,
Humans express their gratitude for the favor and the blessing they received:
Parents, teachers, bosses, physicians, rescuers etc.
Those who are ungrateful, however, are not even considered humans.
How much more, then, for those who forget the boundless mercy of God?
Since Satan forgot that he was created as an archangel and
Attempted to be like God(Eze 28:12-17),
He was contained in Hades until the great day of judgment(Is 14:12-15; Jude 1:6).
He deceived Adam to commit the same sin(Ge 3:4-6) and
All men became slaves of the devil, not knowing thanksgiving, being resentful(Ex 16:7).
While all men were wiped out from the earth by the flood(Ge 6:8-19),
Noah, however, gave thanks for God's mercy by giving a burnt offering and
God promised to never destroy creatures by water(Ge 8:20-21).
God especially had mercy on the people of Israel(Ps136).
He delivered them from their slavery in Egypt,
Let them pass through the desert, destroy many kings and
Led them to inherit the Promised Land.
The sanctuary that God commanded them to built(Ex 25:8)
Reminded them to always give thanks for
God's mercy and great wonders(Ps 100:4-5, Ps 136:4, Ps 138:2).
Yet there were priests who considered Him as burden(Mal 1:13).
Jesus said, "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days(Jn 2:19-20), because
Through the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
He would let not the flesh but the soul know thanksgiving for
He Himself gave thanks to the Father for hearing Him(Jn 11:41).
Without any resentment,
Jesus died and said, "It is finished(Is 53:7; Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
1. Gave thanks for the works of the Father who fearfully and wonderfully made an environment in which Jesus could be conceived, die and be resurrected, and He committed His soul to the Father(Ps 139:13-14; Jnh 2:9; Lk 23:46); and
2. Condemned the devil the ungrateful one(Eze 28:12-17; 1Jn 3:8); and
3. Had compassion on souls and sprinkled His blood of redemption, giving them another chance to give thanks(Mt 20:28; Rm 9:15).
He rose and sat on the mercyseat in heaven(He 4:16).
The Holy Spirit entered the souls who are forgiven by the blood of Jesus and
Lets them know what God has freely given them(1Co 2:10-12).
The man who has thanksgiving rising from his soul
Considers all the negative circumstances of the past,
Such as his family background, physical conditions etc.,
As rather the condition for God's compassion for him(sinner, humility), and
Knows the poverty, the wounds, the punishment,
The death and the resurrection of Jesus(Is 53:5; 2Co 8:9) as
The wonderful works of the Son of God for him.
Therefore, he always gives thanks for
The gifts of the Spirit(2Co 9:15), the given duties(1Ti 1:12), the word of revelation(Mt 11:25),
Answers to prayers(Jn 11:41), and the church of the truth(1Ti 3:15), for
He longs to finally give thanks for committing his soul in that day.
O Lord,
Thank You for receiving my soul!
Let those be my only last words.
Let me never be ungrateful,
But rather give You thanks always and forever! Amen.
