We all have many things to be thankful for. Some of them are trivial, like Kleenex or coffee. Some of them are crucial to existence, like clean water and a safe place to sleep. Some are gifts from family. Some are a result of thoughtful friends. We have many reasons to be thankful. The variety of good things keep 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 glad I can see. The coffee is too hot or too cold, but I am glad I know the difference. There are many things out there for us to be 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 God of all glory, he saw something that language cannot adequately describe. As we listen to his description of God’s glory, we realize that no one is like the almighty God. Ezekiel begins by describing four living creatures that are around the throne of God. Once we get past the appearance of those colossal cherubim, Ezekiel beholds God sitting on a throne.
Ezekiel 1:26-28 NIV84 Above the expanse over their heads was what looked like a throne of sapphire, and high above on the throne was a figure like that of a man. I saw that from what appeared to be His waist up He looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down He looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded Him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around Him. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. When I saw it, I fell facedown, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
I am thankful that God is incomprehensible because: God is not limited as we are. He has unlimited power, wisdom, and glory. His knowledge, power and understanding is infinite. He is high above whatever we imagine Him to be. He is boundless in His greatness, person, and love. We cannot 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.
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.
The Lord God is not the creation of thoughtful men. He has no beginning or ending. God existed before the beginning of time. He was before the creation. God is self-existent.
Ultimately, we have to confess that everything was made by Someone. Yet, God who created all things was created by no one. Since God is self-existent, we can rely on Him for life, health, and strength. We can trust and believe because God is self-existent. He is not dependent on the circumstances or situations that we face. He is greater than our trouble, trial or perplexity. We do not fear the loss of all the things He sustains. We have a Rock, Defense, and Strong Tower in our troubles.
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? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He 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. The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The 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. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.
It is impossible to understand God’s all-sufficiency. The Lord our 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 the strength of His own power. Nothing is above Him or beyond Him. No one can promote Him or degrade Him. If we were blind so that we could not see the sun, that would not keep the sun from shinning. If everyone was an atheist, God would still be God. God needs no defenders. God cannot be helped and 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.
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.
It is difficult to understand everlasting. We look at the eternal mountains and hills, but there was a time when God created the mountains and hills. We can imagine a million years from now, but the eternal God has no boundaries. We cannot put marks of time on God’s existence. He is the uncreated, eternal God. He never began to exist and 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. God knows my beginning and ending. I don’t have the answers for the perplexities of things that are coming, but I can trust the Lord my God Who does not change.
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? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
Think about this! His power, knowledge and wisdom are unlimited. We are different from God. Our knowledge grows exponentially. 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 and knowledge to find that He has no limits. He is infinite in grace, mercy and love. When we don’t have strength, wisdom or resources, God is able to help us.
I am thankful that God is immutable.
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.
He 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. Since God never changes, we have strong faith.
Think about this! His mood never changes. His love and affections never cool off. Since God never changes, we have strong hope that His promise remains true. Whatever God has said, He will do.
I am thankful that God is omniscient.
God’s knowledge 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. He has no teacher. He instantly and effortlessly knows all His creations. He knows all things perfectly. He knows the beginning and the end of all things.
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. God knows and cares as no one else can.
In Luke 12:27 Jesus said, “Do not fear and be worried about what you shall eat, drink or have an anxious mind. Your Father knows what you need.”
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!”
There is only one Almighty 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: “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.
God is everywhere present with His whole being, power, and knowledge at all times.
In Psalms 139, David questioned the unfettered presence of God. He concluded that God is everywhere. He is close to everything and next to everyone. God is here in all of His being. In all of His infinite wisdom and power, God is present. God is over and under all things. God cannot to be excluded. He is wholly beneath and wholly above. He is always near us, and is present in all of the world.
We should continue in our thankfulness for God. He is faithful, good and just. He is gracious, merciful and kind. He is holy, righteous, and sovereign. God is love.
Psalm 63:1-4 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. Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you! I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
Psalm 75:1 NLT We thank you, O God! We give thanks because you are near. People everywhere tell of your wonderful deeds.
