There are many things that come to mind of which I am thankful for on this joyous day:
Family Relationships Food and Provision Peace Physical Health Financial Stability
"The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanses us from all sin." —1 John 1:7
This gift, through the sacrifice of Christ's blood, trumps everything else in this life - so much so that it is fallacious and futile to compare it to other worldly, simplistic, and materialistic things.
The Bible says that, "the wages of sin is death." These wages are what each of us deserves. However, God has provided a, "gift of eternal life," that redeems and restores us to Himself (Romans 6). After beginning to try and grasp the incomprehensible magnitude of this gift, everything else fades away and allows me to focus on this salvation and love as the most meaningful and thanks-worthy thing in my life, and in any person's life.
Cindy Hess said it very well in one of her recent articles describing thankfulness and genuine gratitude towards God for His sacrifice and provision:
Showing our gratitude is obviously important in human relationships, but it’s even more essential in our relationship with God. As we think about the many blessings we have received, do we express our thanks to Him throughout the day? And when we think of the amazing gift of His death and resurrection for forgiveness of our sins, do our hearts bubble over with awe and thanksgiving?
Psalm 107:1-3
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story—
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,
those he gathered from the lands,
from east and west, from north and south.
"God’s highest Gift should awaken our deepest gratitude."
I want the response of my heart to be to "bubble over with awe and thanksgiving" when I think about the reason that I can be forgiven... "the amazing gift of His death and resurrection" but too often this is not the case. I am glad to know the Lord, but may I soon go beyond gladness to rejoicing... may this song become true of me. When I think about the Lord, Shane and Shane: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trbWIWzDFVU&feature=related
That particular version of When I think about the Lord many not be done by Shane and Shane but Shane and Shane also does a version of it.