Abounding with Thanksgiving

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him:
 Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.  Col. 2:7

 As Christians, we are exhorted not only to give thanks, but to abound in thanksgiving. And why shouldn't we? We have so much to thank our Lord for. Our hearts should be overflowing with thanksgiving to Him who gave Himself to redeem us when we were yet in our sins headed for a lost eternity. Think of it, we were at enmity with God,  full of sin and self and totally worthless. We were Satan's slaves ready at any moment to face God's holy wrath and indignation. But then God in His great love and mercy, not willing that any should perish, but that all come to repentance, redeemed us by the shed blood of His own dear Son, or in other words, bought us back. Think of it, we were sold to God. He had every right to make us His slaves, but no, He made us His sons and daughters. We our heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ. That in itself should compel us to abound with thanksgiving. But God didn't stop there. He gave us His Holy Spirit to dwell in us, He made a way for us to live victoriously over sin, and is continually working His perfect work in us that we might be changed from glory to glory that we might show forth His praise.
  That does not include all the physical provisions He provides for us: the food we eat, the homes we live in, and the clothes we wear, and that is not to mention all the extras we have. Think, too about the precious freedoms we have in this land of ours where we can freely worship our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and read our Bibles without being persecuted. It was just for these reasons (and to protect their children from worldly influences) that the pilgrims sacrificed everything they had to come to a bare wilderness and start a new life over in this land.
  Let's not take these things for granted. Let's rejoice in our redemption by and to our Lord who has given us all these things, and not just today, but everyday.

                           Happy Thanksgiving!


                                                ^{PSALM 111
1}Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
 ²The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
 ³His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
 ⁴He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
 ⁵He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
 ⁶He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
 ⁷The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
 ⁸They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
 ⁹He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
 ¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.