Thanksgiving

We have probably heard or read many Thanksgiving studies, especially around this time of year. But there is a different approach that is not so common. The NASB has the word, “thanksgiving” listed 41 times in the Bible. It is also noted four times as being thankful. There are an additional 120 or so verses that just use the word, “thanks or thank.”

Thanksgiving permeates the worship service and even has a specific portion. Some of the worship in 1 Chronicles 23:30 was specifically to “thank and praise the Lord.” In fact some men were specifically ordained to do that. (1 Chronicles 16:41 and 25:3)

Even more telling is Romans 1:21,
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks,
Notice that this is the second step on the decent into depravity and debauchery as chronicled in the rest of the chapter. Refusing to honor God was first, then refusing to give thanks. And look at the rest of the nose dive, “ but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Depravity, debauchery, and darkness is a bad place to be.

This however is not the focus of our thoughts today. With all the emphasis on thanksgiving, there is one aspect that is often overlooked. One of the first places that we find it is in Psalm 50:14 
“Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High;

Notice the two fold aspect of the “sacrifice.” A sacrifice of thanksgiving. Sometimes being thankful is hard. Hebrews 13:15 spells it out.
Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
Here is the term again. A sacrifice of praise...thanks. When is it hard to praise and be thankful? When things are not easy. When we struggle and even suffer, the praise that comes from our lips is a sweet sacrifice. Hosea 14:2 uses a colorful term. We are to render “the calves of our lips.”

Now look back at Psalm 50 for the second “fold.” Our offering is both thanksgiving and obedience. “Pay your vows to the Most High.” We are not only to be careful to praise God, but we are to be careful about honoring our commitments to Him.

Worship in hard times and continued dedication to the Lord’s work is a statement of thanksgiving far beyond the shallow nod we give on our national holiday. It seems that the Lord focuses more on our groaning and devotion during difficulties than our joyous emanations of contentment.

There are at least five “sacrifice of thanksgiving” statements in the Scripture. They are listed below. Psalm 50:23 says it a little differently. “...orders his way aright.” Walk in the way. And Jonah summarizes it for us.
Jonah 2:9 But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the Lord.”

The words are similar, pay my vows, but the context is the key element here. Jonah was in the belly of the “great fish.” If there were ever a place where it would be difficult to “praise and thank” the Lord , this is it. Telling for us is Jonah’s attitude. Even though he acquiesced and went to Nineveh, he never lost his “attitude.” After the great revival, he went outside the city to sit down and watch the destruction. (Jonah 4:1) He went so far as to complain to God for not giving them the “Sodom and Gomorrah” treatment.

I am confident that the last chapter of the book, even though it does not specifically delineate Jonah’s complete repentance, infers a change of heart. The lesson for us is that even a grudging obedience will bring glory to the Lord. And, interestingly enough, the more we “act” like we should, the more it becomes normal and we can even enjoy it.

The final verse in Jonah (4:11) would melt even the hardest heart of the meanest Scrooge. (Sorry to cross metaphors/holidays.)
“Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand, as well as many animals?”

Now either the Lord is saying that there are 120,000 children who cannot yet distinguish right and left, or the new “believers” are so innocent that, morally, they are like those same children. (Have I shown you the pictures of my grandkids? They are right at that stage or slightly past. Adorable.) Jonah’s “prophetic” prayer actually came true. His “vow” became a reality for him.

On occasions, we “praise” God in difficulties, not seeing or even hoping for deliverance. But it is still exercising the “calves of our lips,” as Hosea said it. The calves of accomplished athletes are very pronounced. They exercise and utilize them for just about every activity. That develops the muscles for the time when they are needed.

If we wait until the hard times to praise God, our “calves” may not be strong enough to compete. Exercise them every day, in every major or minor circumstance. My mother would often exclaim, “Oh Lord!” It was not a curse nor swear. It was a continuance of her inner communication with the Lord. Occasionally it would be audible. It happened in good and bad times. It was spontaneous as she was in touch and bringing everything to Him in every instance.

Her calves were well exercised. In all things, give thanks. Lord, let us be known as the “big-calved lips.”




1 Chronicles 23:30 They are to stand every morning to thank and to praise the Lord, and likewise at evening,

Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalm 50:23 “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me; And to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.”

Psalm 107:22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing.

Psalm 116:17 To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the Lord.

Jeremiah 17:26 They will come in from the cities of Judah and from the environs of Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the house of the Lord.