Thanksgiving
(Heb. tôdâ; Gk. eucharistia). A duty of which gratitude is the grace. This obligation of godliness is acknowledged by the universal sentiment of mankind; but as a Christian grace it has some blessed peculiarities. It is gratitude for all the benefits of divine Providence, especially for the general and personal gifts of redemption. The very term most in use shows this; it is charis, which is the grace of God in Christ, operating in the soul of the believer as a principle and going back to Him in gratitude: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Cor. 9:15). The ethical gratitude of Christianity connects every good gift and every perfect gift with the gift of Christ. Moreover, it is a thanksgiving that in the Christian economy, and in it alone, redounds to God for all things: in everything give thanks. This characteristic flows from the former. The rejoicing that we have in the Lord, and the everlasting consolation we possess in Him, makes every possible variety of divine dispensation a token for good. The Christian privilege is to find reason for gratitude in all things: "for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thes. 5:18).- Dr. Hal Adams
Senior Pastor
Thank you, Pastor Hal, for these words! I am so grateful for all that God has given us! I am so thankful for His promises! I am also thankful for such a wonderful Body of Believers that I am so blessed to worship with! Happy Thanksgiving to all!
ReplyDeleteDianne