Once Judas Iscariot determined to betray the Lord, the earthly ministry of Christ hastened toward the time of His crucifixion. As the time of His death drew near, the Lord Jesus took the disciples to Gethsemane so that He could spend time praying. He asked them to watch while He went to the Father in prayer; however, when the Lord returned from prayer, He found the disciples asleep. He woke them and rebuked Peter saying, “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” What a horrible rebuke as Peter, along with the others, realized that he had failed this one simple request! After everything that the Lord had done for the disciples, they could not force themselves to watch for one hour. In like manner, many believers are going to find out the consequences at the judgment seat of Christ of failing to watch for the Lord.
Thankfulness strengthens and builds one's faith in the Lord. Christians need more outward and vocal expression of their thankfulness for God's provisions and blessings. Giving of thanks simply exalts the Lord. According to scripture, man can “magnify him [God] with thanksgiving.” Something magnified is made easier to see. Therefore, when men give thanks to the Lord, they make God more visible to a world overcome by sin. For what do you have to be thankful? Try giving God thanks for answered prayers, deliverance from trials, or simply His daily provisions. This thankfulness would help the world to see Him better. Ungrateful Christians have helped to convince the world that it does not need to give God credit for creation (and redemption among other things). Long before these perversions of truth, Christians ceased to give thanks.
