Give Thanks – Man as Provider
"Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” - Isaiah 7:10-14 ESV
On Thanksgiving Day in 1986, President Ronald Reagan paid tribute to our first president, George Washington, and the example he set by proclaiming a day of giving thanks to God:
One of the most inspiring portrayals of American history is that of George Washington on his knees in the snow at Valley Forge. That moving image personifies and testifies to our Founders’ dependence upon Divine Providence during the darkest hours of our Revolutionary struggle. It was then-when our mettle as a Nation was tested most severely—that the Sovereign and Judge of nations heard our plea and came to our assistance in the form of aid from France. Thereupon General Washington immediately called for a special day of thanksgiving among his troops.
In the book of Isaiah, we read that Israel’s mettle had been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Ungrateful for all the good things God had blessed them with, they chose to worship idols instead. Consequently, they provoked God’s wrath and stood on the precipice of causing not only themselves but future generations to live in poverty and bondage.
Even though today’s idols might not always resemble those in Isaiah’s day, they are no less dangerous. So many things—even good gifts of God—can become idols if we are not careful and alert. The general lack of genuine gratitude to God, together with our pursuit of modern-day idols, would seem to jeopardize His future blessings on us and our loved ones in America. Yet, God’s longsuffering with our nation never ceases to amaze me.
During Israel’s darkest days, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to signify His continued love and faithfulness to wayward Judah. God promised the coming of a son whose name would be Immanuel, or “God with us.” This promise was fulfilled 700 years later with the birth of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, who died for our sins. That is something to be thankful for!
Despite the goodness of God that ought to lead us to repentance, like Judah of old, we continue to be an ungrateful people. Last week, I quoted part of President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation from March 30, 1863. Here is more from his prophetic observation of the ingratitude in America:
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.
As a Provider, model gratitude toward God. Lead your family and those God has called you to influence to remember and never forget the unbelievable goodness the God of Heaven has bestowed on us, first and foremost in the spiritual freedom Christ gives to all who believe and also in the political freedom we enjoy in the United States of America. Share our strong godly heritage with generations to come. Build into every boy and girl in your care a love and respect for the Lord and thankfulness for His gracious blessings on our land!
"Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” - Isaiah 7:10-14 ESV
On Thanksgiving Day in 1986, President Ronald Reagan paid tribute to our first president, George Washington, and the example he set by proclaiming a day of giving thanks to God:
One of the most inspiring portrayals of American history is that of George Washington on his knees in the snow at Valley Forge. That moving image personifies and testifies to our Founders’ dependence upon Divine Providence during the darkest hours of our Revolutionary struggle. It was then-when our mettle as a Nation was tested most severely—that the Sovereign and Judge of nations heard our plea and came to our assistance in the form of aid from France. Thereupon General Washington immediately called for a special day of thanksgiving among his troops.
In the book of Isaiah, we read that Israel’s mettle had been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Ungrateful for all the good things God had blessed them with, they chose to worship idols instead. Consequently, they provoked God’s wrath and stood on the precipice of causing not only themselves but future generations to live in poverty and bondage.
Even though today’s idols might not always resemble those in Isaiah’s day, they are no less dangerous. So many things—even good gifts of God—can become idols if we are not careful and alert. The general lack of genuine gratitude to God, together with our pursuit of modern-day idols, would seem to jeopardize His future blessings on us and our loved ones in America. Yet, God’s longsuffering with our nation never ceases to amaze me.
During Israel’s darkest days, God spoke through the prophet Isaiah to signify His continued love and faithfulness to wayward Judah. God promised the coming of a son whose name would be Immanuel, or “God with us.” This promise was fulfilled 700 years later with the birth of Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, who died for our sins. That is something to be thankful for!
Despite the goodness of God that ought to lead us to repentance, like Judah of old, we continue to be an ungrateful people. Last week, I quoted part of President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation from March 30, 1863. Here is more from his prophetic observation of the ingratitude in America:
But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.
As a Provider, model gratitude toward God. Lead your family and those God has called you to influence to remember and never forget the unbelievable goodness the God of Heaven has bestowed on us, first and foremost in the spiritual freedom Christ gives to all who believe and also in the political freedom we enjoy in the United States of America. Share our strong godly heritage with generations to come. Build into every boy and girl in your care a love and respect for the Lord and thankfulness for His gracious blessings on our land!
- How are you building a legacy of gratitude to God in your home that will last generations?
- How can you become more strategic in sharing the story of America’s founding and godly heritage with your children and grandchildren?
- Ask God to give you a grateful heart and the words to communicate His blessings in a transformative way to your family.