Stained glass depicting King Solomon and King David in the cathedral of Strasbourg, France; jorisvo / Shutterstock.com; for editorial use only.
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As God’s precious children, we are rightly eager to turn to our heavenly Father with our petitions, but sometimes we can forget to thank God in the busyness and distractions of this world. Here are ten people in the Bible who remembered to thank God, encouraging us to follow their excellent example:
1. Miriam
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Miriam, the older sister of Moses and Aaron, gave thanks to God while playing her tambourine and dancing with joy with the other women whom God saved from the Egyptians after they crossed over the Red Sea:
Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing. And Miriam sang to them:
“Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously;
the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea.” Exod. 15:20–21
2. Hannah
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Hannah gave a long prayer of thanks to God in 1 Samuel 2 because God granted her petition for a son. Once Samuel was weaned, Hannah and her husband, Elkanah, brought him to Eli the priest to be dedicated to the Lord:
And Hannah prayed and said,
“My heart exults in the Lord;
my horn is exalted in the Lord.
My mouth derides my enemies,
because I rejoice in your salvation… (1 Sam. 2:1–10)
3. David
King David playing the harp; Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640); from Wikimedia Commons – U.S. work public domain in the U.S.
David gave thanks to God after winning his battle against the Philistines:
And David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said,
“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield, and the horn of my salvation,
my stronghold and my refuge,
my savior; you save me from violence.
I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
and I am saved from my enemies… (2 Sam. 22:1–51).
4. Solomon
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King Solomon, in his prayer of dedication for the temple, thanked God for all he had done to provide for Israel:
Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood.And he said, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father…” (1 Kings 8:14–21).
5. The Author of Psalm 111
Image from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles.
The author of this beloved psalm begins with the following words:
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the company of the upright, in the congregation. (Ps. 111:1)
Psalm 111 is filled with praise for God’s wondrous works. The psalmist ends by reminding people that God’s praise endures forever.
6. Elizabeth
Image by Zvonimir Atletic; from Shutterstock.com
Before becoming pregnant with John the Baptist, Elizabeth was barren and long beyond child-bearing age. Elizabeth was thankful that God took away her reproach among the people of Israel:
After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” (Luke 1:24–25)
7. Mary
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Mary, in a beautiful song of praise known as the Magnificat, gave thanks to the Lord for being chosen to bear the incarnate Son of God:
And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his name… (Luke 1:46–55)
8. Jesus
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Jesus gave thanks to God before distributing the bread and fish to five thousand people who came to hear him teach:
Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. (John 6:11)
9. The Leper Healed by Jesus
Photo by Jeremy Perkins on Unsplash
Ten lepers came to Jesus and asked him to heal them. Jesus sent them to the priests, and they were all healed along the way. Only one of the ten healed people returned to thank Jesus, and that person was not even a Jew. He was a Samaritan who was considered to be a foreigner in Israel’s sight:
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15–19)
10. Paul
Photo by Jeremy Perkins on Unsplash
Paul gave thanks to God for the believers in Philippi because of their partnership with him in the gospel:
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Phil. 1:3–5)
Related Articles:
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10 Reasons Christians Can Be Thankful in Trying Circumstances
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2 Amazing Aspects of Prayer Christians Should Always Remember
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3 Good Things to Remember When You Feel Anxious about the Future
This article is an adapted version of the original post at corechristianity.com.
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