We usually consider thanksgiving as God’s blessings to us. Of course, we should. Before we ever thought of being thankful, he was thankful for us.
Luke 10:21-24
21: In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Jesus was praying and he thanked the Father for revealing the truth to the babes—the children. What would we be without Jesus and what he has done? Everything we have and are is not to our credit. We are not wise unto ourselves. We are helpless without Jesus. He was glad to have the babes, the children that God had given him. A child will stay close to its parent. If we want to be thankful, the best way is to take our stand as babes who stay at the feet of Jesus. We are dependent on him. He sees our need. We are just like babies who can’t survive without their parents. Without his help we won’t survive spiritually. He’s happy and thankful to have us as his children.
22 All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.
I am thankful to be one of the saved, one of those willing to trust the Lord. Jesus thanked God for revealing the way of salvation and the privilege to go through what he was about to endure so that he could be our Savior. He is worthy of our praise! Why should he be thankful for us? I can’t think of one thing in my character he would want, but he was glad to have me. He’s glad to have all of us as his babes. How many times have we spit in his face? He loves us anyway and is thankful for us. What love he has bestowed upon us!
23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Think how privileged you are to have seen what you’ve seen. We’ve all seen lots of bad, but we’ve seen the working of God through it all. Even in bad times, he’s there for us. What he allows in our life is for the purpose of our good. The last night with his disciples he took the bread and cup. They signified what he was about to do in the giving of his body and his blood. Before he gave it out to them he gave thanks for those who would be saved because of what he was about to do. The Bible says that for the joy that was set before him he endured the cross.
We have a Savior who is thankful for us. The least we can do is return the thanks. Jesus was thankful to have died for us. The book of Matthew carries the story further. Afterward Jesus turned to the crowd and said come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Jesus was thankful for the privilege to save us. How can we say no?
All we have to give him is our heart. What will you do to prove your thanks? It’s time to stop just saying thanks and start living it. Thanksgiving begins with thanks-living.
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 