Why Do We Give Thanks?

When my son was three, he loved to see things done over and over again. Horsey ride? “Do it again!” Final chapter of a book? “Start it again!” Improperly played chess game? “Let’s play again!” Maybe you have or know children like this—children who delight in simple things.  

Author G. K. Chesterton wonderfully likened the delight of children to that of God’s joy over His creation. He described it in this way:

Because children have abounding vitality, because they are in spirit fierce and free, therefore they want things repeated and unchanged. They always say, “Do it again”; and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead. For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes every daisy separately, but has never got tired of making them. It may be that He has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we.

Our Father has the energy to forever celebrate and endlessly love. And if there’s one thing that’s worth repeating twenty-six times, it’s “His faithful love endures forever” (Psalm 136:1). But the psalmist isn’t just repeating these words; he’s listing example after example of how God has shown His faithful love to His people. And this insistent repetition shows us how His love isn’t just repeated in the past, because He continues to love us in the future, again and again. Forever.

We are sinful and just tired out. We grow weary of giving one more horsey ride, handling one more irate customer, navigating another family conflict, and facing yet another rejection. But God’s love is new every morning, and our only response to His steadfast love ought to be thankfulness.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us another day to learn and try again.
Thank you, Lord, for giving us these beautiful children.
Thank you, Lord, for sustaining us and providing everything we need.
Thank you, Lord, for your everlasting, never-ending, never-giving-up faithful love.

Even when we don’t have the energy or enthusiasm to celebrate the sunrise, let alone say, “Do it again!” in those dark morning hours, God’s love for us and for His creation remains unbounded. He loves us again and again and again and again. In the face of this kind of love, our hearts warm with thanksgiving.