What Were You Thankful For?

Earl Gillespie

What Were You Thankful For?

Luke 17:9   Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.

The single mother busied herself working two jobs all year long in preparation for this Christmas,  this would be the Christmas that she would give her only son the gifts that he had asked for.  No longer would she be embarrassed when he asked to go next door or down the street to play on his friends video games, her plans were to buy him the best game console available.  His school grades was not the best but he promised to improve them.  She often bragged about her son because of the help he provided with the upkeep of their small apartment.  When she would come home from work tired, she was contented that the morning dishes would be washed and the floors clean. He would even fix a sandwich of her liking. Yes, she was proud of her this son and this Christmas she was going to reward him properly. 

When Christmas came that year it was an exciting time, the gifts were stacked high around the tree.  Never had there been so many gifts under the tree, and they all were addressed to her son.  On Christmas morning there were smiles, tears, hugs and most of all an outpouring of thanks from her son.  The outpouring of thanks touched her deeply and she slept soundly with a smile in her heart that night as her son played video games in his bedroom.  The next morning she awoke to the sound and the smell of breakfast being prepared.  She was rewarded with breakfast in bed and a continuing outpouring of thanks for all of his gifts.

As the progression of time continued, she would come home after working the night shift and find book bags and clothes carelessly tossed about the small living room.  His promise was to do better as he continued to thank her for all that she was doing for him.  After working twelve hours, she was tired and hungry.  Her son usually  would have a sandwich fixed for her,  but now she had to ask.  As she opens the door and walked into the living room she was overcome by the smell, the clutter of clothes and school books and the loud noise from her son's bedroom.  A glance at the kitchen was more than her weary heart could accept as she rushed to her bedroom and closed the door.  From the hallway she heard her son's proclaim in his innocent voice, "Thank you mama, and I love you."  As tears filled her eyes  and rolled down her cheek she whispered, "You could have washed the dishes." 

The young entertainers were being given awards for selling perverted lyrics to young listening audience. One by one they took the stage and stood before an audience of their peers amidst  the bright lights of the television cameras  to give their acceptance speeches.  Many wore colored  glasses to hide their drug induced stupor.  One group in particular after preforming a vulgar melody that belittled the female, stepped up to the podium and delivered his acceptance speech.  "First I want to give honor and thanks to my Heavenly father, for without him none of this would have been possible..." 

Romans 1:8  First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

I thank my God. The God whom I worship and serve. The expression of thanks to God for his mercy to them was fitted to conciliate their feelings, and to prepare them for the truths which he was about to communicate to them. It showed the deep interest which he had in their welfare; and the happiness it would give him to do them good. It is proper to give thanks to God for his mercies to others as well as ourselves. We are members of one great family, and we should make it a subject of thanksgiving that he confers any blessings, and especially the blessings of salvation, on any mortals.

Through Jesus Christ. The duty of presenting our thanks to God, through Christ, is often enjoined in the New Testament, Eph 5:20; Heb 13:15;  Christ is the Mediator between God and men; or the medium by which we are to present our prayers, and also our thanksgivings. We are not to approach God directly, but through a mediator at all times, depending on him to present our cause before the mercy-seat; to plead for us there; and to offer the desires of our souls to God. It is no less proper to present thanks in his name, or through him, than it is prayer, he has made the way to God accessible to us, whether it be by prayer or praise; and it is owing to his mercy and grace that any of our services are acceptable to God.

The young mother expressed her thanks to God in an exuberant manner.  This Thanksgiving God had blessed her with her own Apartment, a monthly check and a EBT card.  Now she would be able to stay home and take care of her expanding family.  This Thanksgiving she was thanking God for allowing her to move out of her mother's house and as she so eloquently stated, "There is no shame in my game and God love me." 

Observe here, 1. The great and wonderful success of the gospel; it had produced faith in the hearts, and obedience in the lives of the Romans, which had made them famous throughout the world: Your faith, says the apostle, is spoken of throughout the whole world; that is, through all the Roman empire, which at that time ruled over a great part of the known world. The entertaining of the gospel at Rome, made that place more celebrated and famous than all the victories and triumphs of the Roman emperors; faith and holiness make a place and people more renowned than all outward prosperity and happiness.

Observe, 2. That this their renowned faith was the ground, yea, the highest and chiefest ground of the apostle's rejoicing; First, I thank my God, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Learn thence, That it is both the duty and the disposition of the faithful ministers of Jesus Christ, to be highly thankful to God, above all things, for the powerful success of the gospel, in bringing sinners to the faith and obedience of Jesus Christ. This is our rejoicing, nay, this will be our crown of rejoicing, in the day of Christ: We value our lives only by their usefulness to the souls of our beloved people; we live as we see some of you stand fast in the Lord; we die as we see others stick fast in their sins.

When we come before God in prayer or when we stand before him in judgement, what will we be thankful for?  This should be the basis of our thanksgiving.  Imagine you standing before God,  You do believe in God don't you?  Whether in the pulpit on Sunday or the Judgement seat of Christ, you are giving thanks to a God that suffered and died that you might have salvation, but the only thing you can thank him for is allowing you to own two new cars.  If God is God then we should address him on a spiritual level.  Maybe we should thank God for the things that will stand in the day of judgement, rather than placing so much emphasis on things that will not stand.  Maybe it is time we as a people wake up and stop pretending, this world is not getting better.  Going to church and giving money is not a prerequisite to owning stuff, nor is it an indication that you are Heaven bound.  You do believe in God don't you?