Take note, give thanks

When we look at the prayers of God’s people throughout the Bible, one thing that cannot be ignored is the emphasis on thanksgiving. This is something that appears quite simple but can be too quickly forgotten. 

We have a great example set for us in Joshua chapter 4. After many years of wandering, the Israelites had finally entered the promised land. The nature of their entrance was miraculous – God had parted the Jordan allowing them to pass through into Canaan.

At such an important moment in Israel’s history, the Lord was not going to allow it to be forgotten. He commanded that twelve stones be taken and set up as a memorial to what God had done in that place. There is great significance in this. The stones stood as a reminder of what God had done at the Jordan river to bring them in, but they would also remind the Israelites how far he had brought them to this point. 

This is a good lesson for us to learn. It’s important to take note of what God has done and give him thanks for it.

When we look back at our lives it should be clear how far God has brought us and what he has done in us.

There will be points in our walk with the Lord that will stand out: a conversation that God has used, teaching that has changed our attitude or perhaps some answered prayer. Whatever it is, we need to slow down when we see God work, take note and give thanks. 

In regard to answered prayer, Charles Spurgeon said, “Has the Lord been gracious to you and inclined His ear to the voice of your prayer? Then thank Him as long as you live. Let the ripe fruit fall upon the fertile soil from which it drew its life.” Now he said this on the topic of prayer but it applies to all work God has done in our lives. We get no credit, all the glory is God’s. And we can never give him the glory if we never slow down to notice what he has done.

Something I have found helpful in this is taking a literal note (in my journal) of things I notice God doing, ways he has challenged or helped me. While I am embarrassingly poor at doing this, trying to create a habit of it has helped in becoming more thankful and trying to be more aware of God’s work.

As well as looking back, there was another aspect to the memorial Joshua made. It made the Israelites look forward. Joshua told the Israelites that the memorial was there so that, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’ then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground'” (Joshua 4:21-22).

Joshua had an anticipation of the nation established, at peace in the land, with children who would want to know how they got there. He believed God’s promise that the people would possess the promised land. This moment of stopping and building a memorial reminded the people that the Lord had kept that promise thus far and that he would bring it to complete fulfilment.

This is just as relevant for us. We have an abundance of promises God has given us concerning what he will do and where he will bring us. God has promised that we will “be conformed to the image of his Son'' (Romans 8:29). The Lord has promised that “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3). These are just a couple of the myriad of promises we have. When we slow down to note God’s work in our lives, we should thank him for keeping his promises thus far in our journey – and we can look ahead with hope, knowing that he will bring every promise to a perfect fulfilment. This should provoke us to even more thanksgiving. 

So let us stop and take note. In the buzz of life we can quickly take things for granted. Let's take note of where God has brought us, what God’s doing now and where ultimately we are headed and in doing this let’s give thanks to Him, the one from whom all blessings flow.