The Best Way to Thank God Is to Ask for More!

On this Thanksgiving Day, we who know the Lord Jesus as Savior are in the best of all spots to lift up praise to God from our hearts. Indeed, many outside of God's saving grace can be thankful, but I say none like the believer. One of Phyllis' and my favorite and poignant passages in Scripture that summarizes the essence of thanksgiving is found in Psalm 116:12-13: 

“What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.”

If you're reading this today, you're probably suffering from post-turkey sluggishness, so I'll keep this brief!

Most of us upon having received something wonderful from God's hands want to "return the favor." At least that is our knee-jerk reaction. But it's not appropriate before God! That's right. God needs nothing from us, right? So, how do we rightly show our appreciation for all the benefits He has showered upon us? NOT by trying to pay him back, but rather by ASKING FOR MORE! "What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation" [which is God's doings, right?], "and call on the name of the LORD." I'll hold up the cup that He already filled and what? Yes, ask God to fill it again.  

So, for those of us who have received richly from God's gracious bounty, the best way  to show our gratitude to God is by holding up the treasured cup of salvation and asking God to do it again. FILL IT AGAIN, LORD. What does this reveal? It reveals that we know who it is who has provided for us all along. It reveals also our dependency upon the glorious Provider. And it also unveils the glorious ways in which God opens the windows of heaven and pours out his blessings upon the earth, upon mankind in general, and upon his children by faith especially.

The happiest of Thanksgivings to all of you. FILL IT AGAIN GRACIOUS FATHER! 

AND AGAIN . . .