Still We Give Thanks… for God Is Always Good!

 

Grace, mercy and peace be with you, from God our Father, to whom we give thanks, and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is always good.

 

The title of our message is: Still, We Give Thanks… 

 

We have this wonderful tradition that’s developed in our nation, where we set aside one day every year to intentionally give thanks to God. 

 

Every day we give thanks to God, because everyday, good is God is good! But this day in particular, Thanksgiving Day, we dedicate to giving thanks. Giving thanks is our main task for this day.

 

I had hoped, and expected, that Thanksgiving Day this year, would be different than Thanksgiving Day last year, in that the Covid 19 virus would be long gone.

 

Sadly, it’s proven to be a tenacious little bug, and we, as a congregation, had to deal with even more of it this fall than last fall… but still we give thanks to God.

 

The economy is still fragile, and after many years with minimal inflation, this year, we have significant inflation to deal with, but still we give thanks to God.

 

The crops turned out pretty well in our area, quite well actually; much better than in some places where the drought was far worse. 

 

In the western U.S. there’s been a severe drought for years, with reservoirs running dry, and fires decimating forests, and sadly for some people, burning down their homes.

 

Yet many of God’s people in those places are still giving Him thanks today… and will give Him thanks tomorrow, and the next day, and every day. 

 

Around the globe we see disasters, and people in all kinds of danger, some suffering persecution like we can hardly imagine, yet around the globe, God’s people give Him thanks. 

In spite of all that happens in our world and in our lives, the good and the bad, through it all we give God thanks, for He is always good. 

 

God proved His goodness to the world by sending His Son to die for and save the world. For the sake of His Son, God forgives and blesses us every day, because every day God is good, every day He loves us, and everyday God’s grace in Christ covers all who believe in Him.

 

While God is always good, this world is always fallen, always struggling with the sin and evil in it, yet somehow God manages to daily bless His children in this imperfect world.

 

And though our world is fallen, still much good happens in it. 

 

It’s really quite amazing that God’s goodness can come to us at all considering everything there is in this world that would try to keep His mercy from us, especially the forces and powers of evil that hate God and His creation.

 

The devil hates anything that reflects well upon God, anything by which His goodness is made known to the world. He’d much rather hear God be cursed, than God be praised.

 

In the Garden of Eden, the devil tried to make God look bad to Adam and Eve, and he still does the same today. He loves to plant his seeds of doubt and discontent, where God, the One who is truly good, is blamed for all that’s bad in the world. 

 

How crazy is that, blaming God, who is holy, for evil; blaming God, who is pure in love, for the hate there is in our world; blaming God for death when he sent his Son to save the world from sin and death, and give us life.

 

That makes no sense, but it’s always been one the devil’s tricks. He’s not called the great deceiver for nothing; he spews his lies with great conviction, very convincing to our weak and fallen minds. But more powerful to hold on to is God’s Word, which tells us the truth about God.

 

Even though God is falsely accused, though He’s blamed and discredited, still He’s 

not deterred, still He blesses His creation, and saves His faithful children. 

And so we, His family, give Him the thanks and glory that belongs to Him. 

 

As the meaning of the first article concludes, For all this it is our duty to thank and praise, serve and obey Him. This is most certainly true!

 

Though the fallen world would deny and discredit Christ and His mercy, still we give Him thanks, because we see all the good He’s done for us, and for the world. 

No one can match His mercy.

 

We see God’s mercy at work in today’s Gospel, and Him receiving the thanks and praise that He is due.

 

Among the 10 men who were healed, only the Samaritan returned to Jesus to give thanks, even though Samaritans were considered by Jews to be less godly. 

 

Jesus singled him out as an example for us all. 

 

To this very day, we hear this story, and learn from and are inspired by the man’s example. It was the Holy Spirit in his heart that did it.

 

I can’t help but think that the man would have given glory and thanks to God, whether healed or not, although he believed he would be healed, and he was.

 

When we’re healed of our illnesses and injuries, we give thanks to God; and even when we’re not healed, still we give God thanks, because we know that after our bodies and minds can no longer healed on earth, God will heal us in eternity; and we’ll praise Him for His mercy forever. 

 

In our Old Testament, God delivered on a promise He had made to his people centuries before, that He would give them, our reading says, a good land … in which you will eat bread without scarcity, and in which you will lack nothing.

 

Which is why, many years later, King David could say in Psalm 23, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want, or I shall lack nothing. God will give me all I need.

 

In Leviticus 20:24, and many other times, God promised the Israelites that He would bring them to a land flowing with milk and honey… and give it to them for their inheritance. 

Centuries later in that blessed land, the Messiah was born to save us, and that was the greatest blessing, to bring a heavenly inheritance to all who believe.

 

Today, the Promised Land is the Church; and the milk and honey, if you will, are the spiritual blessings God gives us through the Gospel. Wherever the Gospel is proclaimed is a blessed place.  

 

Here, God has blessed us with a free land where the Gospel can be proclaimed in truth and love. Let us always be grateful and advocate for this essential freedom.

 

God has blessed us with a beautiful and abundant land to live in. He calls us to take good care of it, and to share our abundance with others.

 

Though our country has its problems, still for this free and abundant land, we give God thanks. 

 

We’re truly blessed to live here, and call this nation our own. 

 

On a lighter note, we thank God even for what some consider to be the trivial things in life, like our favorite teams.

 

Although they sometimes seem to be better at stringing together losing streaks than winning streaks, still we thank God for our Minnesota Vikings, who, to give them credit, are on a two game winning streak! 

 

The Timberwolves, very proficient at losing streaks, still for them we’re thankful. They, too, are on a winning streak. Maybe this is the year they’ll finally turn it around.

 

In all seriousness, for the many things God gives us to add enjoyment to our lives, we give Him thanks, and we take the good with the bad. 

 

We can do that because we know that our God is always good; and though some things may disappoint us at times, God is still blessing us in many other ways; especially in the ways that matter most, and have the most impact, and are the longest lasting: our forgiveness, our faith, our love, our salvation, all are God’s perfect gifts to us.

Having these greater gifts in Christ through the Holy Spirit, we always have every reason to thank God and give Him praise. 

 

When times are good, and things are going well, we give God thanks.

 

When times turn, and things aren’t going so well, still we give God thanks. 

 

We know He’ll help us through the difficult times, and bless us at all times. 

 

So, let us not forget to thank Him when times are good, and let us not blame him when times are difficult, but, as 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, let us give thanks 

in all circumstances, for God is always good, and His mercy endures forever.

 

And as we give Him thanks in all circumstances, His peace, which passes understanding, will guard our hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus our Lord, who is truly good and forever gracious. Amen.