“To Him who made great lights, For His mercy endures forever— The sun to rule by day, For His mercy endures forever; The moon and stars to rule by night, For His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 136:7–9, NKJV)

There is an imaginative story told of a day when the sun did not rise. Six o’clock came and there was no sign of dawn. At seven o’clock, there was still no ray of light. At noon, it was as black as midnight. No birds sang and only the hoot of an owl broke the silence. Then came the long black hours of the afternoon. Finally evening arrived but no one slept that night. Some wept, some wrung their hands in anguish. Every church was thronged with people on their knees. Thus they remained the whole night through. After that long night of terror and agony, millions of eager, tear-streaked faces were turned toward the east. When the sky began to grow red and the sun rose, there was a loud shout of joy. Millions of lips said, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” because the sun had risen after one day of darkness. The very consistency of God’s blessings sometimes seems to dull our gratitude. The wonderful thing about the mercies of God is that they are fresh every morning and new every evening. Let us remember to be constantly thankful to our gracious God.

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1)

As we travel this week and consider what it is that we are grateful for, let me offer 4 reasons to be thankful for and to God.

First, give thanks to God for His Person. Meaning, be thankful for who He is. He is the very embodiment of good. And he is the supreme God, because He is the only God. And He is our Lord.

Secondly, give thanks to God for His power. It is our God who not only was able to create the Heavens and Earth, but had the understanding to put them in order. The next time you marvel at the stars at night, or the warmth of the Sun, remember who made them.

Thirdly, give thanks to God for His purposes. God is active in History. Do we always recognize it? Sadly, no. But God was present and active during the Exodus, the Conquest, and even the Captivity and scattering of Judah and Israel. In the same way, God is present and active in our lives today, if we’ll only take the time to see Him, and thank Him.

Finally, give thanks to God for His provisions. When the Israelites needed rescuing for the Egyptians, it was God who saved them, not another military force. When they were at risk of starving and dying of thirst, it was God, not Moses, who provided for them. When humanity was unable to justify their sins, it was God who sacrificed far more than we are able and far more than many are willing so that we might have salvation through Jesus Christ.

We have so much to be thankful for. Let us do as the Psalmist invites in Psalm 136:26, “Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:26)