O Give Thanks unto the Lord
"GRATITUDE," says Hosea Ballou, "is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul; and the heart of man knoweth none more fragrant." Gratitude is expressed in thanksgiving and in kindlier, richer deeds toward the giver of good. On the other hand, ingratitude is ever considered one of the basest of sins, yet it is a question if there is one more common. Not so much perhaps between neighbor and neighbor, or friend and friend, or child and parent, tho in these relations it is frequently seen. How often we observe a fond father or a devoted mother lavishing their best upon a son or a daughter, only to be repaid by gross ingratitude. Shakespeare well said, "How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is
To have a thankless child." Carry the thought higher. All humanity are common children of God the Creator. Life is a gift from Him. The shining sun with its life-giving beams of light, the common air, needed every moment, the blessed common rain which waters the earth and makes it bring forth bread for the sower and reaper,—every blessing of every moment is from Him, the Giver of all good. "Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving;
Sing praises upon the harp unto our God,
Who covereth the heavens with clouds,
Who prepareth rain for the earth,
Who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
He giveth to the beast his food,
And to the young ravens which cry."
Ps. 147: 7-9. "He sendeth forth springs into the valleys;
They run among the mountains;
They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild asses quench their thirst.
By them the birds of the heavens have their habitation;
They sing among the branches.
He watereth the mountains from His chambers:
The earth is filled with the fruit of Thy works.
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle,
And herb for the service of man;
That He may bring forth food out of the earth,
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man,
And oil to make his face to shine,
And bread that strengtheneth man’s heart."
Ps. 104: 10-15. "O that men would praise Jehovah for His loving-kindness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with singing."
Ps. 107: 21, 22. It is good to the individual soul to give thanks always. It opens the heart for greater blessing, it opens the mind to perceive constant common blessings which the selfish, ungrateful soul absorbs as a matter of course, but never sees, never appreciates. Common, constant blessings demand constant gratitude to the Giver; true gratitude will manifest itself in constant, daily thanksgiving. And true thanksgiving will refine, purify, exalt character, and find true joy in rendering obedience to the great Bestower of all blessing. But above all other gifts of God, the Gift which includes all others, the Gift most slighted by the children of men, is the Gift of His only-begotten Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. That Gift stayed the power of self-chosen sin and death, the rightful and just wage of all mankind. That Gift purchased every blessing we enjoy, every one of which was forfeited by our sin. That Gift brings to every soul not only the common blessings of every-day physical life, but He brings with open hand to each child of Adam the precious boon of righteous character and eternal life. Surely we should thank God every day; and it is well, nay, highly fitting, for communities to meet together as in the old Hebrew days, or the days of the Pilgrims, and together recount God’s mercies, and render to Him the praise and honor due, always remembering, as God’s children from olden time have been commanded, the poor, the sick, the needy, the destitute. "Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving
glorifieth Me;
And to him that ordereth his way aright
Will I show the salvation of God."