We were reminded last week that giving thanks is a biblical thing to do, but even more pointedly, it is the Christlike thing to do.
When Christ miraculously fed the 5,000 from a young lad’s lunch, the description says, “Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down, and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). He also gave thanks when He fed a crowd of 4,000 (Matt. 15:36).
Christ’s example of giving thanks before feeding the multitudes made an impression on the disciples, at least upon John. Writing his Gospel years later, he used Jesus’ example of giving thanks as a way of identifying the place where the feeding happened, saying, “Other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks” (6:23).
The Lord’s Supper
At the Last Supper when Christ transitioned from the historic Passover celebration to the new covenant’s memorial supper, the record says, “He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you’” (Luke 22:19).
Years later when Paul gave the Corinthian believers instructions about observing the Lord’s Supper he included Jesus’ giving thanks, saying it was after “He had given thanks” that He broke the bread and distributed it to His disciples (1 Cor. 11:24).
In Luke 10 when the 70 He sent out returned, Christ rejoiced, praying, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes” (v. 21).
Are we not left with the impression that Christ was regularly thankful? If we are to be Christlike at prayer, we also must be thankful. In fact, the Bible exhorts us to make giving thanks part of all our praying by admonishing, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Phil. 4:6).
While many may be heard expressing prayers of thanksgiving as part of observing Thanksgiving Day, thankfulness may focus on the common grace of God by which He “makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matt. 5:45). In addition, Christians are recipients of God’s saving grace that “came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
Who has greater reasons for giving thanks than the redeemed of the Lord?
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