The Blessing of Thankfulness

Thanksgiving as a concept theologically evolves throughout the Bible. Genesis gives us little evidence of “thanks giving” to God. But by the time we get to Leviticus chapter 7:11-15, the Israelites had instituted a thanks offering as part of the sacrificial system.

As I was thinking about that this week I couldn’t help but wonder if that could have contributed to Adam and Eve’s downfall? In the Garden, Adam and Eve had their three most important needs met by God…

Fellowship

Purpose (identity)

Provision

Since the Fall, mankind has been scrambling, hustling, and has been driven to fulfill these three crucial needs apart from God.

READ ROMANS 1:18-25

*In 1993, Willie Nelson was 60 years old, and he had some unusual advice for his 23-year-old daughter. Willie said, "Paula, look at everything I do closely, -- and do exactly the opposite."

*That was probably the best advice Willie ever gave anybody. And it's the same thing we need to do as we go through this dark part of God's Word. We must do the opposite of what we see here. That’s how we can avoid spiritual dangers in our lives.

In the Psalms, Thanks giving pears a prominent place in both and individual (Psalm 116) and communal level (Psalm 100).