A Chapter on Thanks

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 19, 1859

A Chapter on Thanks.

THANK HIM!

Yes, now, Thank God now, this minute—thank him first of all that you have a heart to thank him. A thankful heart is from God—thank him for a thankful heart—thank him for every thing—all things, great things and little things. Thank him now, delay not. Thank him as mercies come on and as they go off. As new mercies appear, begin to thank him; keep on thanking him. And be sure to embrace the earliest possible opportunity to return God thanks, the very instant you feel the first risings of gratitude. Thank God while the heart is warm lest a moment's delay may cool the ardor of your thanksgiving. Now, now is the time, the accepted time. A single moment's delay may lead to forgetfulness, indifference or coolness in your thanksgivings. God loves a heart full and fresh with thanksgiving, burning from the altar, sincere, earnest, outbursting. Embrace the very instant the blessing is received—any blessings—all blessings, temporal and spiritual; little blessings or great blessings. All good comes from God, the Father of light, food, raiment, houses, homes, lands, fathers, mothers, kind looks, kind thoughts, kind expressions, every grasp of friendship, our senses, hearing, seeing, tasting, smelling, our physical, intellectual and moral faculties, all these call for daily and hourly thanks. Then life itself, the land of mercy, the land of Bibles, the gift of God's dear Son, through whose sacrifice and intercessions all blessings flow; the Bible, the Holy Spirit, hope of life everlasting; all these and still more, should fill our hearts with grateful praise, with continued outburstings of thanksgivings. God's providential dealings, the preservation of life, health, strength, our right reason, should call forth grateful thanks. We should thank God, rising up and lying down, going out, coming in, at all times, till our whole being, body, soul and mind, is full of thanks, nothing but thanks, a bundle of thanks.

This continual thanking God for mercies is the sure way to obtain mercies, new mercies, greater mercies. Thank God for little mercies, and if faithful to past mercies, in giving thanks for them, very soon God in mercy bestows greater mercies and still greater. God is well pleased to bestow his richest blessings on the thankful and obedient that live to thank him for his goodness. 'Whoso offereth praise, glorifieth me.' O friends, how much we lose by not thanking God for his goodness. Some perish, starve outright for not thanking God. God will be thanked now and forever. If we refuse to thank God, others will, and he can raise up the stones in the streets to praise him, cause the hills and the valleys to praise him, fire, hail, snow, stormy winds, mountains, all hills, fruitful trees, all cedars, beasts, cattle, flying fowl, all creeping things, the sun, moon, the starry hosts and heavenly hosts, the seas and all that in them is.

'Thy numerous works exalt the Lord, Nor will I silent be; O rather let me cause to breathe, That cease from praising thee.'

To thank God is not only a privilege but a positive duty, binding on all intelligencies. God commands us to thank him, and to thank him always, for he is good and his mercy endureth forever. God is worthy of all praise and he will have it.

David knew this, understood it perfectly. He knew it was policy, the very best policy to thank God, nor was he unmindful of this duty. Hear him: 'I will bless God at all times, his praise shall be in my mouth continually.' 'It is a good thing,' says he, 'to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High.' The Bible is full of these examples of holy men, in giving God thanks. Friends, are you thanking God continually for all his mercies, for all his judgments? Do you make it a special business? the first thing, the last thing, the ever continued thing? Do you prize the privilege of thanking God above all price? What an infinite mercy that he permits creatures so unworthy, to praise him! Blessing unspeakable! Our whole being should burst forth with thanksgivings for this one mercy! this one privilege. Reader, do you thank God? Do you live so that you can thank him? No one can thank God as he ought except he 'walk uprightly, work righteousness and speak the truth in his heart.' The reason why David was enabled to thank God so much, so heartily, so joyfully, was, he walked softly before him, refrained from every evil way. Hear him: 'I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compass thine altar, O Lord, that I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.' This holy walking was the secret of David's continual thanksgivings. 'With the pure thou wilt show thyself pure.' Ps. 18, 26. Why is it we hear so few thanksgivings in the assemblies of God's people? The heart is not turned to his praise.

Beloved let us so live that we can thank God with a good grace all the time. Sound out his praises from pole to pole, make a joyful noise unto the Lord evermore. Serve him with gladness; come before his presence with singing; enter his gates with thanksgivings and into his courts with praise, for the Lord is good, his mercy is everlasting and his truth endureth to all generations.'

"O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good; for his mercy endureth forever." O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men.'

"Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."

"Hosannah! let the earth and skies Repeat the joyful sound; Rocks, hills, and vales reflect the voice, In one eternal round." D. E. NEWTON. [Ed. Golden Rule.