Thanksgiving

And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted. [Lev. 22:29]

When Cain and Abel offered their sacrifices to the Lord in Genesis, one was accepted and the other was not. It seems to me that today two different believers can offer the same gift; but, one might be acceptable to the Lord and the other is not. The difference is in the heart of the believer. The passage of Leviticus quoted above gives us an insight into the instructions of sacrifice. When one offers something to the Lord it must be offered with one's heart so that "you may be accepted".

We all need to be accepted by the Lord. And, sacrifice and thanksgiving are the keys to entering into a covenant relationship with a living God. God has made it clear from the beginning of creation that what he wants of us is relationship.

I love the story in I Chronicles 16 when David brings the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the LORD by Asaph and his brethren. And what did they sing?

"8 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! 9 Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! 10 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 11 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually! 12 Remember the wonderful works that he has done, the wonders he wrought, the judgments he uttered, 13 O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 14 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. 15 He is mindful of his covenant for ever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations, 16 the covenant which he made with Abraham, his sworn promise to Isaac, 17 which he confirmed as a statute to Jacob, as an everlasting covenant to Israel, 18 saying, "To you I will give the land of Canaan, as your portion for an inheritance." 19 When they were few in number, and of little account, and sojourners in it, 20 wandering from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another people, 21 he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their account, 22 saying, "Touch not my anointed ones, do my prophets no harm!" 23 Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. 24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods. 26 For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but the LORD made the heavens. 27 Honor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. 28 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! 29 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come before him! Worship the LORD in holy array; 30 tremble before him, all the earth; yea, the world stands firm, never to be moved. 31 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice, and let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!" 32 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it, let the field exult, and everything in it! 33 Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. 34 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures for ever! 35 Say also: "Deliver us, O God of our salvation, and gather and save us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. 36 Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!" Then all the people said "Amen!" and praised the LORD. "

As we enter into our season of Thanksgiving may we offer up to the Lord our lives in a way that will make us acceptable to Him who made us. We need thanksgiving in our lives to make us whole. When we truly learn to praise God we will be blessed by his presence in our lives. Try singing and praying the scriptures set forth above today! See if they don't bless your life and help you become more in harmony with God's soverign will for your life. Maranatha!