Dr. M. DeWayne Anderson

Thanksgiving — Why Should We Be Thankful?

We all have many things that we should be thankful for. Some of them are trivial, like Kleenex and coffee. Some of them are crucial to existence, like clean water and a safe place to sleep. Some are gifts from family and some are due to the thoughtfulness of friends. We all have many reasons to be thankful. The variety of good things keeps life from being dull. I am thankful for the things I often take for granted. I am thankful for sight, sound, taste, hearing, and feeling. Sometimes we complain about noise, but I am just glad I can hear. We don’t like some of the things we see, but I am just glad I can see. The coffee is too hot or too cold, but I am glad I know the difference. Once I get past myself, I find that there are many things out there that I am thankful for.

I specifically want to address thanks to God.

I am thankful that God is incomprehensible.

God is not like man or any other god.

When Ezekiel saw the glory of God, he was looking at something language could not adequately describe.

As soon as he began describing God’s glory, we immediately realize that there is no one like the almighty God. Ezekiel’s language describes things we have never seen. When the hand of the Lord was upon him, Ezekiel saw a whirlwind coming out of the north that was engulfed with brightness all around and radiating from it, like the color of fire. When he began seeing the vision, Ezekiel saw four living creatures that surrounded the throne of God. Ezekiel 1 takes 20 verses to attempt to describe the  appearance of those colossal cherubim. Once we get past them, he saw God sitting on a throne.

Ezekiel 1:26-28 ESV And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.

I am thankful that God is incomprehensible.

God is not limited like we are. He has power, wisdom, and glory that is far beyond the glory that we all possess. His knowledge, power and understanding is infinite. He is high above whatever we may imagine Him to be. He is of infinite greatness that can only be measured by His Own nature and character. God’s infinite creations are far below what He is. We do not have the capacity to see beyond the ends of His creation. God is incomprehensible.

Yet, God has revealed Himself in such a way that we may know and experience His power, love, and glory.

By the wisdom and power of His own knowledge, mercy and grace, God provided a Savior who would redeem men from their sins.

I am thankful that God is self-existent.

John 5:26 AMP For even as the Father has life in Himself and is self-existent, so He has given to the Son to have life in Himself and be self-existent.

What does that mean?

The Lord God Almighty is not the creation of thoughtful men. He has no beginning or ending. Before the beginning of time, God existed. He was before the creation of anything, God.

God is self-existent.

We want to discover the origin of things. People have much difficulty trying to understand the eternal God. Scientists struggle with the concept of a higher power that is eternal in existence. Ultimately, we have to confess that everything was made by Someone. Yet, the One who created all things was created by no one.

What bearing does God’s self-existence have on us?

We are totally dependent on His existence. Because God is self-existent, we can rely on Him for life, health, and strength. Because God is self-existent, we can trust Him and believe. He is not dependent or limited by the circumstances or situations that we face. He is greater than our trouble, trial or perplexity. Because God is self-existent, we do not fear the loss of all of the things He sustains. We have a Rock and Strong Tower to run to in our troubles. You can trust the self-existent and almighty God.

I am thankful that God is self-sufficient.

Psalm 121:1–8 NKJV I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? 2My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. 3He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 6The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

The all-sufficiency of God is incomprehensible.

God does not need or lack anything.He is the source and sustainer of all life. God does not change. He holds His position by His own power. Nothing is above Him and nothing is beyond Him. No one can promote Him and no one can degrade Him. No one can remove Him because no one is greater than He is. If we were all to become blind so that we could not see the sun, that would not keep the sun from shinning. If everyone should become an atheist, it could not affect God in any way. God needs no defenders. God cannot be helped. He needs no assistance.

Since God is self-sufficient, I know that He can supply all my need by His own riches in glory through Christ Jesus.

The self-sufficient God has never run out of the things that we need. By His own power, mercy and grace He has provided  a Savior who is able to redeem our souls from destruction.

I am thankful that God is eternal.

Psalm 90:2 NKJV Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.

The concept of everlasting is difficult to understand.

We look at the eternal mountains and hills, but there was a time when the mountains were not there. Everlasting is beyond our ability to understand. We can imagine a million years from now, but the eternal God has no boundaries. We cannot put marks of time on the existence of God. He never began to exist. He is the uncreated God. He is not affected by the changes of time. God dwells in eternity but all time dwells in God.

I am thankful that God is eternal because I need help in my moment of time.

I need Someone who knows what my beginning and ending will be. I don’t have all of the answers for the perplexities of things that are coming. I need Someone who can help me navigate life.

I am thankful that God is infinite.

Deuteronomy 7:21 NKJV For the Lord your God, the great and awesome God, is among you.

Psalm 139:7–8 NKJV Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

He is unlimited in all of His ways. His power, knowledge, and wisdom are unlimited. We are different than God. Our knowledge grows exponentially. It is hard to imagine how the knowledge of man is increasing, but God has remained constant. He cannot increase above infinite. God is infinite in all of His ways. He is measureless, limitless, and boundless.

Since God is infinite, we turn to Him from our limited supply to find that He has no limits.

He is infinite in grace and mercy. His love is measureless. When we don’t have the strength, wisdom or resources, God is able to help us. When we are weak, sick, struggling and even dying, we can turn to the infinite God. He alone is able to help us in all of our need.

I am thankful that God is immutable.

When we say that God is immutable, we mean that God never changes.

James 1:17 NKJV Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

Hebrews 13:8 NKJV Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

God has never deviated from what He has been.

God can never have more mercy, grace, or love. He cannot get better or worse. He cannot improve or deteriorate and become weak.

The immutability of God helps us most because we are constantly changing.

Since God never changes, we have strong faith. His mood never changes. His love and affections never cool off. He never loses enthusiasm. Since God never changes, we have strong hope that His promises remain true. Whatever He has said, He will do.

I am thankful that God is omniscient.

The knowledge of God is validated and confirmed by His vast creation.

Hebrews 4:13 NKJV And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Our God possesses perfect knowledge of the past, present and the future. He has never learned or forgotten. No one has instructed Him or been His teacher. God instantly and effortlessly knows all His creations. He knows the beginning and end of all things perfectly. Since God is self-existent and self-contained, He knows what no creature can ever know. He knows our frame and remembers that we are dust.

Since He knows our personal pain and affliction, He is able to personally and compassionately help us. Whatever may happen, God knows and cares as no one else can. He said, “Do not fear and be worried about what you shall eat, drink or have an anxious mind. Your Father knows what you need.” (Luke 12:27-32)

I am thankful that God is omnipotent.

God is able to do whatever is consistent with His own character and being.

Revelation 19:6 NKJV And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!”

The word ‘Almighty” only refers to the Lord our God.

Daily we face the weakness of our flesh. We are confronted with the power of the enemy. But, we are sustained by the Omnipotence of God. God possesses an incomprehensible potency of power. The Psalmist said: “All power belongs to God.” As a result of His power, we can say: “Nothing is too hard for the Lord”

I am thankful that God is omnipresent.

Omnipresent means that God is everywhere present with His whole being, power, and knowledge at all times.

Psalm 139:7 NKJV Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

He concluded that God is everywhere and He is close to everything. He is next to everyone and is able to help us right now, and right here. God is present here in all of His being, power and glory. There is no place beyond Him. God is over all things and under all things. God is outside all things and inside all things. God is not to be excluded. He is not above only. He is wholly beneath and wholly above. He is wholly within and wholly without. He is always near us and He is present in all parts of His creation. He is closer to us than our thoughts.

We should continue in our thankfulness for God.

He is faithful, good and just. He is gracious, merciful and kind. God is love. He is holy, and full of glory. He is sovereign. He is God.

Psalm 63:1–5 NLT O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. 2I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! 4I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. 5You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.