Skip to main content

Give Thanks!


“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thess. 5:18)

For a number of years, we’ve been participating in a host program for international students at a local university.  The students didn’t actually live with us but we would have them over for occasional meals and would endeavor to share a little of what life is like in the United States. 

I’m not sure what type of information was given to them in the way of orientation, but they seemed to assume that people in the U.S. are generally religious and that we pray before meals.  In fact, the first year we participated in the program, we had a student from Taiwan to our house for a meal.  I wasn’t sure if he would be offended if we prayed so I chose not to.  As we were about to start eating, the student asked if we were going to pray.  Ooops!  We went ahead and prayed!

Since then, with our international guests present, we’ve always prayed before meals.  The students dutifully bow their heads and join us in prayer as we give thanks.  Since it appears that most of the students are not Christians, the question arises, what exactly are they doing when they join us in giving thanks to God?

Prayers of genuine thanks should probably be built upon:

  1. A relationship with God:  why would you pray to someone you don’t know?  And, for some, why would you pray to someone you might not even believe exists?

  1. Attributing the provision to the one who provided:  would it be right to thank someone who was not the source of what you received? 

  1. Being truly thankful:  wouldn’t it be a mostly empty “thank you” if you are compelled to say it? 


Prayers of thanks are especially appropriate for Thanksgiving.  And, as we are now in that holiday season, I am reminded of the song “Give Thanks”:

“Give thanks with a grateful heart”…that’s being truly thankful.

“Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son”…that’s attributing the gift of the Son to the One who gave Him.

“Because of what the Lord has done for us”…that’s acknowledging a relationship.

It’s possible that the international students who join us in prayer are full of thanks but are they really thankful?  Perhaps, if their full of thanks is build on the right foundation!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Can't Get No Satisfaction

One of the songs that were popular in my youth was not particularly upbeat or helpful but it probably did express some of the angst of my generation.  It was not one that particularly resonated with me but as I recently read the book of Haggai, it did come to mind, well, at least some of the lyrics did.  It was the Rolling Stones song with the lyrics “I can’t get no satisfaction”.  Take a look at the chorus of that bleak song:   I can't get no satisfaction; I can't get no satisfaction; Gonna try and I try and I try and I try; I can't get no - I can't get no –   Now take a look at Haggai 1:6 – “ You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” It sure sounds like the people of Judah couldn’t get any satisfaction with the things of life that normally should have brought some type of s...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Horse Of Course

In Biblical times, horses represented military power and strength.  And if you had both horses and chariots, well, that was the ultimate of military powers and wars were often won with them. Yet in seeking to have what would normally be considered insurmountable military strength, there was one factor that was often overlooked.  The Psalmist made it clear what that factor was when he wrote:  “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”   (Ps 20:7) While Israel did at times trust in the name of the Lord, there were other times when they tried to trust in horses and chariots to win their battles.  This is what the Lord spoke to Israel through the prophet Isaiah:  “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,   who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots   and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the Lord .”  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Stouthearted!

Steve the Stouthearted; it has a nice medieval ring to it, maybe even middle earth overtones.  I noticed that word “stouthearted” recently in Psalm 138, verse 3:   “When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted.”   (NIV, 1973) The word stouthearted is used in the Bible to describe individuals who exhibit courage, determination, and resilience, often in the face of adversity or opposition. This characteristic is seen as a virtue, reflecting steadfastness in faith and purpose. The stouthearted are those who remain firm in their convictions and are not easily swayed by fear or doubt (from The Bible Hub website). And yet to be bold and stouthearted for most is not something that just comes naturally, we need the Lord to make us bold and stouthearted.   And, from the verse above, it appears that he does so in response to us calling on him.   So it probably wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to say that those who have been made bold and stouth...
Post a Comment
Read more