‘Everything you do or say should be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, as you give thanks to the Father.’ Colossians 3:17
Why is it important to give thanks?
Saying thank you shows that you are grateful. The Bible mentions thankfulness 139 times and most of the thanks are to God. Sometimes it is easy to thank a person rather than God. But as Christians, we should thank God in prayer, singing, dancing, and art – with all our hearts.
Praying thankfully keeps us in a right relationship with God. It makes us peaceful and helps us to recognise and remember our many blessings. Jesus gave His life for us through is perfect example of love. It is right for us to be thankful to Him for this amazing sacrifice.
Gratitude brings glory to God. Through the act of gratitude, we experience joy, contentment, serenity as we reminisce about God’s goodness to us over time. Gratitude is a personal testimony of how God has helped us in time of need. In Philippians 4:6, we are encouraged not to be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayers and petition with thanksgiving, we should make our requests be known to God. We should thank God through our prayers, as the seen in Psalm 105:1-4:
‘Oh give thanks to the Lord;
call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice
!Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually!’