Guest Post by Jodi Swanson
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever” I Chronicles 16:34.
Have you heard this refrain so many times that you could automatically complete it? But, have you ever looked at this refrain closely? Presently, there are many self-help authors that talk to us about the benefits of gratitude. And they are correct; it IS good for us to be thankful. But David isn’t calling for us to give thanks because “it’s good for us.”
No. Don’t miss the little connecting word in the refrain: “for”. From this word, we know that there is a reasoning clause to follow. Why are we called to give thanks? FOR God is good AND His love is forever.
It doesn’t say anything about a job, money, relationships that you may or may not have (though we know that does affect how we feel). Instead, we are given one key reason to give thanks: because God is good. It doesn’t depend on our circumstances, what we have or don’t have. No matter if you are facing a dark valley or on top of a mountain peak, the truth remains: God is good and His love endures forever. That is the foundational reason to give thanks.
Jodi Swanson
Medical Missionary in Tanzania