From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.
“And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will.”(Lev. 22:29) “And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.” (Ps. 107:22) “Take ye from among you an offering unto the LORD: whosoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, an offering of the LORD;”(Ex. 35:5)
Biblical thanksgiving and worldly thanksgiving are of different sorts. Biblical thanksgiving is NOT in word only. It is much like everything else of the Bible; it demands personal actions. The world would have us to believe that it is simply the use of words but empty of measures. “Thankful” is a nice word, but if it stands alone as if it were empty-handed then there is nothing to measure the sincerity of the thankfulness. God always demands a measure of proof.
There must preeminently be the desire of a willing heart. Absolutely nothing in the actions of a believer is acceptable if his heart and thought are void of willingness. A willing and believing heart is the crown jewel in the grace of giving unto the LORD. A greedy and reluctant heart is repulsive to God. God does not NEED anything we have. He has created all things and if He wants or needs anything else He is able to quickly materialize it. The opportunity to give unto the LORDis a privilege. It is a golden moment in time for truly expressing our desire to thank our Father.
Biblical thanksgiving requires sacrifice. Again, it is not empty-handed words. Sacrifice is denying one’s self for the opportunity to express in a verifiable measure how much one is thankful unto the Father and the Redeemer of our souls for what He has sacrificed in our ransom. It is measured in the balances of God and recorded in the books of His treasury. No measurement can be made if nothing is laid upon the altar of sacrifice. Thankfulness becomes negated.
It is easy to proclaim a thanksgiving, but to have a willing heart ready to be measured by the sacrifices it offers up is not so simple.
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