In order to stimulate my own heart towards biblical gratitude this week, I pulled some files last week to remind myself of what Scripture and others have said about thankfulness. Might these next few days be ones in which you and I are genuinely giving thanks to the Lord for all that He is and all that He has done on our behalf.
To start the week, three statements from my favorite Puritan, Thomas Watson:
See what cause the saints have to be frequent in the work of thanksgiving. In this Christians are defective; though they are much in supplication, yet little in gratulation. We meet many Christians who have tears in their eyes, and complaints in their mouths; but there are few with harps in their hands, who praise God in affliction. To be thankful in affliction is a work peculiar to a saint. [All Things for Good]
A gracious soul is thankful and rejoices that he is drawn nearer to God, though it may be by the cords of affliction.…When God has a rod in his hand, a godly man will have a psalm in his mouth. [A Godly Man’s Picture]
Question: What shall we do to be thankful? Answer 1: If you wish to be thankful, get a heart deeply humbled with a sense of your own vileness. A broken heart is the best pipe to sound forth God’s praise.…A proud man will never be thankful. He looks on all his mercies as either of his own procuring or deserving.…O Christian, think of your unworthiness; see yourself the least of saints and the chief of sinners, and then you will be thankful. Answer 2: Strive for sound evidences of God’s love to you. Read God’s love in the impress of holiness upon your hearts. God’s love poured in will make vessels of mercy run over with thankfulness.…Hearts deeply aware of God’s love yield the sweetest praises. [A Godly Man’s Picture]
Words of Grace 