THANK THE LORD
Text - Psalm 103:1-5
Introduction
On November 26th we are going to observe Thanksgiving.
Out of all the holidays we celebrate in this country, this one probably has more of a biblical basis than almost all the others.
While Christmas and Easter are very important holidays because that is when we remember the birth and resurrection of Jesus, both of these holidays came from pagan practices. But Thanksgiving is about as scriptural a holiday as you can have. In fact, within the Bible there are hundreds of verses supporting our giving thanks to God.
Have you ever wondered how this holiday got started here in the United States? Let me give you some of the background for this holiday.
Many people believe that the first Thanksgiving was held in colonial America in 1620 when Governor William Bradford proclaimed a special season of worship and praise. It is surprising to learn, however, the Pilgrims borrowed the custom from the English; and that they in turn copied it from the Feast of Saint Martin of Tours--a celebration inaugurated in the Middle Ages.
In 1621, one year after the pilgrims landed at Plymouth and after having a ver fruitful harvest, a small group of pilgrims decided to have a “Harvest Feast of Thanksgiving.”
This was the first Thanksgiving feast observed in America.
The reason why they wanted to have this feast was because they wanted to thank God for the good harvest he had provided.
Then in 1789, General George Washington made this proclamation:
“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection, aid and favors... Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the Beneficent Author of all the good, that was, that is, or that will be; that we may all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection for all the great favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.”
Since that time, Thanksgiving Day has been a continued custom by many of the people of America.
Yet, even though there is one day each year set aside for this purpose, we as God’s people should never limit ourselves in expressing our thanks to God to only one day a year, for all that He has done for us, and the many ways He has blessed us.
As God’s people we should continually be thankful, everyday of our lives, for all of God’s rich blessings.
A lady was picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but she was unable to find one big enough for her family. She asked a stock boy, "Do these turkeys get any bigger?" The stock boy replied politely, "No, ma'am, they're as big as they're gonna get - THEY'RE DEAD!"
So it is with many today when it comes to giving thanks to God for all He has done for them. They are not growing, they are dead!
Today, I would like us to think about six specific ways found in Psalm 103:1-5 that we can thank God for what He has done for us.
Please read it with me:
Psalm 103:1-5 Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. 2Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- 3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, 4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, 5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
Giving thanks to God involves are inner most being. CIRCLE THE WORD “SOUL” IN VERSES 1-2. If thanksgiving doesn’t come from your soul, it is only lip service.
Most of us are prone to forget things. Sometimes we even forget God’s blessings in our lives. Someone who does that shows that they must not be very thankful for God’s benefits.
If you don’t give thanks to God for all He has done for you, you will soon forget what He has done for you.