Psalm 50:7-15

7 “Hear, O my people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you: I am God, your God. 8 I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or your burnt offerings, which are ever before me. 9 I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” God is love and his love is without limit. We live and are saved because of God’s love. Without his love we would surely perish (John 3:16, John 15:5). The only way we can live is by God’s grace. God created everything in this world in order for man to use them to live. But people try to become rich and to be healthy in order to live longer. They try many ways to do this, but in the end there is a limit even to modern science and technology. No-one in this world can live without the grace of God. The greatest blessing for our souls is that God let the Word become flesh and made his dwelling among us (John 1:14). We cannot receive eternal life from the world (John 5:12). Jesus gave himself for the world so that those who eat his flesh and drink his blood can receive life (John 6:53-58). We should not reject or refuse God’s blessing. Those who have received eternal life through Jesus Christ will not be proud or indifferent before God. They will come before God with praise and thanksgiving. Whoever knows Jesus, knows God’s grace and gives thanks for his grace. Like the prodigal son, who remembered his father’s grace and returned to his father’s house, we should return to our heavenly Father. He desperately doesn’t want us to perish. The Thanksgiving period should be the time when we give the greatest thanksgiving to God for the grace that we have received. Giving thanks to God during Thanksgiving is God’s command (Deut 16:13-17). The members of the early churches continued to give thanks to Jesus for saving them through the cross, even when they suffered and were persecuted (Acts 4:32-37). The grace of God is so immeasurable. Even if you are not rich in this world, if your soul has been saved you can go to heaven after you die and live there forever as God’s children. Dear brothers and sisters, let’s sincerely give thanks to God during Thanksgiving. Do not be indifferent, but give thanks to God in all circumstances. Do not be stingy, do not be ungrateful (Ps 50).