Cicero said, “A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.” I am inclined to agree with him as I discover that being thankful might be the most important and the most powerful thing you can be. We can never be too thankful. Moreover, I’m not just talking about thankfulness as a social courtesy. I am referring to a deep-seated sense of indebtedness and awe to a benevolent force that brought me from darkness to light, from death to life – when He didn’t have to – and at great personal expense to Himself.
In the last three days, we’ve explored thankfulness:
- for tangible gifts
- for spiritual and relational gifts
- in adverse circumstances
Today we will dive into thankfulness for God’s historic and redemptive work. It is so scintillating that I pray that your greatest affections and attentions be unfailingly upon God’s character and deeds. As you look at who God is and the marvelous, unending list of His magnanimous traits, you see His work in:
- creation and historicity
- the lives of those who have gone before you, and
- your times, including your own lives as well as the lives of those who surround you.
First, one of my favorite passages (I know, I say that about ‘all’ the passages…) that encapsulates historicity, and that I challenge you to open your Bible and read, is Psalm 105. Please resist the urge to be overwhelmed right off the bat. Yes, it is 45 verses long – you can do it! It’s less than a page. In fact, I would challenge you to read it every day for a week and familiarize yourself with it. The more you read it, the more nuggets you will mine. It is incredible! That is your legacy. Thank your God for the unfolding of ancient history as it did. (You will notice that some Bible versions use the words praise and thanks interchangeably. That is a fascinating subject for another day.) If you think of the Feasts and their deep symbolism, you will melt to your knees in gratitude. If you contemplate salvation and the Word and its power, you will sob in wonder. Each of these facets deserves a 90-day challenge of its own. May Holy Spirit spark that in your life.
Secondly contemplate, your spiritual ancestors. Think of the heroes and heroines of the faith. Pick one every week from a different century and marvel at God’s work in and through them. Watch the unfolding of His promises to His friend Abraham through these people. These are your people. Get to know them. You will spend eternity with them. These are the “silent” witnesses of Hebrews 11 and 12:1 fame. Are they watching your life? If so, they are doing it with bated breath. They are cheering for you. Thank your God for them and learn from their lives.
Lastly, think of your times. Think of those who surround you and thank Him for those who lives worthy of Him. Peer deeper into your own life. Think of Him knitting you together in your mother’s womb and bringing you forth, as your doula. Think of all the things you’ve endured in your life. Think of all the times He has come through for you – you’ve survived ALL your difficulties. 100% of them though they were meant to take you out. What a thought! Think of all His mercies and graces granted you. Give a shout of thanks to Him who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases. You could praise and thank Him all day, then do it again all day tomorrow without repeating a single incident. That’s how good He is to you, beloved.
I must close with these words of Michael Josephson’s: “The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene lakes. It has enough lush forests, flowered fields, and sandy beaches. It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day. What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.” Isn’t that lovely? Your life is a song of thanks and praise to God. Make it that. May you be thankful to overflowing as the verses in the image below commands. Not a drip. Not an occasional, “Oh yeah, thanks,” but a waterfall, grander than Victoria Falls in Africa; Blood Falls in Antarctica; Karom Nantok Falls of Asia; Sutherland in Australia, Vinnufosen in Europe; Niagara in North America; and Gocta in South America all put together. That is overflowing!
CTA:
- This weekend, revisit this short series on thankfulness. Follow through on the the calls to action (CTAs).
- Meditate on Psalm 105 all week and mine it deeply.
- Share this post and discuss thankfulness with a friend.
- Determine to make thankfulness an integral part of your life. Set an hourly timer and when it goes off, offer contemplative thanks for something.
- Leave a comment on how this series has impacted you.
I thank God for you and for your readership. James (my son in the US Marine Corps bootcamp, and who this challenge is in honor of, starts the hardest part of his training – the Crucible on Monday morning, October 22nd, 2025, at 2AM (PST). It will end on Wednesday. I cherish your prayers for him and Lima company. 54 hours, 48 miles, 36 Warrior Stations, 29 Team Exercises, 6 hours of rest, 3 MREs)