“Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8)
If we complained less and were more thankful, we would be happier, and God would be more glorified. Every day thank God for ordinary mercies – we refer to them as ordinary, and yet they are so priceless that without them we are ready to perish. Let us thank God for our eyes with which we see the sun, for the health and strength to walk around, for the bread we eat, for the clothes we wear. Let us thank Him that we are not among the hopeless or confined among the guilty; let us thank Him for liberty, for friends, for family associations and comforts.
Let us praise Him, in fact, for everything that we receive from His generous hand, for although we deserve little, He provides an abundance.
The sweetest and the loudest note in our thankful songs should be of redeeming love. God’s redeeming acts toward His chosen are forever the favourite themes of their praise. If we know what redemption means, let us not withhold our hymns of thanksgiving. We have been redeemed from the power of our corruptions, lifted from the depth of sin in which we were naturally plunged. We have been led to the cross of Christ – our shackles of guilt have been removed. We are no longer slaves, but children of the living God, and can anticipate when we will be presented before the throne without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.
Child of God, can you remain silent? Stir yourselves with thoughts of your inheritance, and lead your captivity captive, crying with David, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.” (Psalm 103:1)
– C H Spurgeon/A Begg