That for which I Am Not Thankful

That for which I Am Not Thankful

Paul says, “In everything, give thanks.” That sounds unreasonable. Is there anything for which we should not give thanks? Perhaps.

Let me clear the deck first. I’m a bit grumpy this morning about people coming late to the Christmas parade but still insisting on free parking in places that are not parking spaces, driving over snowplow stakes to get there. Yes, I’m having a little trouble being thankful for that one. But Paul, I’ll come around, I promise.

Maybe we can be thankful for things eternal, and not so much for things temporal. But that’s not right, is it? Many things that are part of our current blessings will “pass away.” It doesn’t mean that we should be too “spiritual” to give thanks for them.

I am not thankful for sin. Sin is not one of God’s blessings in this “passing away” world. But even here, it’s not that easy, because God uses sin and the lessons of sin and sin’s consequences to teach us a great many things. But we can be thankful for our God who can even use something that He hates for good.

I am not thankful for Satan. And yet, Satan is an integral part of the story of redemption. He is the foil against which the glory of Christ shines so brightly. Are we to be thankful for Satan? No. But Satan is indeed one of God’s creatures (not human, but angelic), now confirmed in opposition against God and jealous of His glory. But no, I’m not thankful for Satan.

I am not thankful for death? Well, almost. I am thankful or life, both physical life and spiritual. And, physical death is the portal through which the believer passes to eternal rest. And so death is often welcomed by the aged saint who desires to be in the presence of Jesus. But, Paul says “death is the last enemy that will abolished.” So perhaps I can say I am not thankful for eternal death, - but, it is ordained by God for those who have rejected Christ, and therefore even eternal death somehow contributes to the glory of God. So, that’s a hard one. Note these verses

Psa. 97:10  Hate evil, you who love the LORD, 

Who preserves the souls of His godly ones; 

He delivers them from the hand of the wicked.

¹¹ Light is sown like seed for the righteous 

And gladness for the upright in heart.

¹² Be glad in the LORD, you righteous ones, 

And give thanks to His holy name.

I am thankful for righteousness, and the gift of Christ’s righteousness. I am not thankful for evil. I think that is Biblical.