Have we given thanks today? In the midst of all our busyness and daily activities, sometimes we rarely give thanks to God. Yet God has never forgotten us. His blessings are far more numerous and vast than we can think of. Thanksgiving should be a part of our daily spirituality and not just based on what we are experiencing. We are invited to give thanks in all things. When sorrow strikes, especially when great joy occurs in our lives.
Our reading this time will reflect a similar invitation to give thanks for everything that happens in our lives. In particular, the event to be thanked for according to Nehemiah 12:27-43 is the completion of the wall of Jerusalem. This wall was so magnificent with a length of 4,018 meters with an average height of 12 meters and a thickness of 2.5 meters. For Nehemiah, God alone played the biggest role in the process. Thanksgiving should be addressed to God. It was only in God that the successful construction of the wall could be realized.
The process of dedicating the wall of Jerusalem was actually an expression of the Israelites' gratitude for the completion of the wall. Amazement at God's goodness was also reflected in the process. Praises were sung with joy. They played musical instruments with great fanfare, even the choir was formed into two groups to march on the walls of Jerusalem. Thanksgiving sacrifices were offered to God in great numbers. Step by step, the ordination ritual was carried out according to the ancestral ways to emphasize the seriousness of the Israelites in giving thanks for God's providential work in their lives. The basis of their gratitude was the work of God that continued to unfold throughout their lives.
As God's people who have been redeemed and saved by Him, have we given thanks for all God's goodness that can happen in our daily lives? The simplest expression of gratitude is through prayer and all the works that we offer to God. Thanksgiving is also a good spiritual exercise in building our relationship with God, especially if we practice to give thanks in all circumstances.
