“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” ~ Psalm 106:1
The word “celebrate” means to have a party or to be really glad. People celebrate when they hear good news or when something fun or exciting happens. Did you jump for joy when you got to have a birthday party and invite all your friends? Have you ever been so happy that you danced around the room or sang a silly song? These are just a few of the ways we celebrate.
Do you have any favorite words that show how happy and thankful you are? Maybe you shout, “Woohoo”! Awesome! Some people might say, “Cool! Amazing! That’s really neat!” Whatever words you use, it’s usually the big smile on your face that shows the joy that’s in your heart. And sometimes the little words, “Thank you,” say it better than anything else.
“Rejoice” is a Bible word that means the same as “celebrate.” You will see this word a lot, especially in the book of Psalms. The Bible tells us to rejoice (celebrate like it’s a party) always. Always! Philippians 4:4 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always.I will say it again: Rejoice!” What? Even when things seem bad or sad? That sounds kind of crazy, doesn’t it? But read the verse at the beginning of this page again. “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”God is alwaysgood, even when things don’t look or feel so good.
Every year, on the fourth Thursday of November, we celebrate a day called Thanksgiving. When you hear the word “Thanksgiving,” what do you think of? Turkey? Pie? Family? Football? Yes, we can be glad for all of these things! But the first and biggest praise in our hearts should be our thankfulness to God—God who is always good and who loves us more than we can ever imagine.
Since we celebrate Thanksgiving this month, here’s an easy project to help you remember that giving thanks isn’t something that we do just once a year. Make a special card for the Lord. Draw or color or paint a picture to show God some of the things you are thankful for. You could make a list of things that make you happy. Then hang that picture in your room or on the refrigerator to remind yourself that everyday is a good day to celebrate and to give thanks!
