Thanksgiving Forever

Through the visions given to John in Revelation, we are given a glimpse of what thanksgiving is like in Heaven. I want to share four marvelous reasons for thanking God which are found in these visions.

#1  We Thank God because He Created Everything

We thank God because He created so many beautiful and wonderful things . . .

sunrises

babies

mountains

galaxies

butterflies

an ocean breeze

blue skies

flowers

you and me

If He hadn’t created us, well, we wouldn’t exist.

His creation reminds us of how incredibly powerful our God is as we consider mountains, stars, and galaxies.  His great wisdom and knowledge are displayed in the laws of physics He established and the vast diversity creatures He brought to life.  We see His love for beauty in butterflies, coral reefs, and sunsets.

Thank you, God, for creating everything!

#2 We Thank God because He Reigns!

God could have created the universe and then left us on our own.  But thank God, He didn’t do that.  God reigns over creation.  He is actively in charge. Every day He is answering our prayer for His kingdom (His rule, His reign) to come on earth as it is in Heaven.

God is watching over sparrows and keeps track of the hairs on our heads.

God raises up and brings down leaders and nations according to His wise plans.

The seasons and the weather are under His control.

He arranges both the details of our lives and the history of the world according to His loving purposes for His people.

Even His enemies are only allowed to do those things which He uses for good in the end.

Thank you God, for reigning in our world, in our lives, in history, and in eternity!

#3 We Thank God for His Amazing Love Seen in Redemption

God’s great power seen in His creation and His mighty rule and authority would only bring us terror if it were not also for His amazing love.

We thank God because of the greatest act of love in history.  He gave His only Son to die for our sins.

To know that the invincible, almighty, Lord and Creator of the universe would humble Himself and submit to suffering and death to save us leads to eternal thanks and praise.

We also thank God because His act of redemption will save people from every nation, tribe, and language.  In the first chapter of the Bible, God pointed to His plan to create a world full of people who are as loving, trustworthy, pure, and good as Jesus.  Hallelujah, despite our fall and all our failures, because of Christ’s sacrifice God’s plan will still be fulfilled.

This great act of love has inspired many thousands of songs. We will continue to sing about the sacrifice Christ made in the eternal age of glory.

Thank You, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for redeeming us with Your own blood.

#4 We Thank God because of His Justice and Wrath

Does it surprise you that in John’s vision there is thanksgiving for God’s wrath and justice?

God’s wrath is His righteous hatred of everything that is evil.  Shouldn’t we thank God that He hates evil?  How terrible it would be if evil didn't bother God very much!  What hope would we have that the New Earth would be better than this one?  We should thank God for His wrath.

Because of His wrath and justice, we know that one day all evil will be utterly and completely destroyed. It will be burned to ashes and smoke.  And all of us who have been redeemed and transformed will praise God for destroying evil. Then we will live in a world without evil forever.

Not only that, but because of God’s justice and grace, He will reward all who have served Him.  Everything you have ever done because of God’s love in you and your love for Him will be richly rewarded. Mothers who sacrificed for their children, caregivers who showed love to the needy, every gift given, every time we used our gifts and abilities so share His truth and show His love, it will all be richly rewarded.  Not because God owes us anything, but because He is good and just and delights in blessing us.

Thank You God!

Thank You for creating everything.  Thank You for reigning over all.  Thank You for redeeming us.  Thank You for your trustworthy promise that one day soon You will destroy all evil and graciously reward Your servants.  Thank You!

 


Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .