All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:11-12)

Thanksgiving In Heaven

People often wonder what Heaven is going to be like. The scriptures hint at the glories that await but in human terms, it isn’t easy to put into tangible realities how the saved will dwell in eternity. Human wisdom clouds the images of the eternal when earthly ties are bound in the imagination of a world much like the one on earth. God uses pictures of a heavenly city with streets of gold, but these are only illustrative images to describe the incredible beauty of Heaven. There will be no literal streets of gold or mansions for families to dwell in and take long strolls through a garden of paradise. Heaven will not be a place to recount past histories with family. Jesus told the Sadducees there would be no marriages. Eternal life is not about the frivolities of earthly life. Heaven will be a place where the glory of God is magnified.

The revelation of the apostle John gives the clearest pictures of eternal glory found in scripture. There are many questions about standing before the presence of the Almighty, but the heavenly beings give one clear image. There will be worshipping and praising the glory of the Lord God with thanksgiving, honor, power and might to the heavenly Father. Thanksgiving will be a central theme in the ages to come. There is much to be thankful for in this life. The immeasurable blessings of God that provide life on earth cannot be measured with the joy of heaven. Thanksgiving is a way we seek to tell God how much we depend on Him and how thankful we are for His blessings. In Heaven, thanksgiving will be taken to an eternal level of praise, joy, and honor for the righteousness of His glory.

Men do not always appreciate thanksgiving. They can go all their lives and never find a thankful word for the Lord. Those who deny the blessings of God will not be singing praises of thanksgiving to God as they will not be in Heaven. The saved are those who spent their lives giving thanks to the Father for the blessings in Christ Jesus and, in their obedience to His word, followed His word. For those gathered around the throne of God, they will join the angels, elders and living creatures and sing joyfully with thankful hearts the glories of the great Savior and Redeemer. Thanksgiving will be an immediate response. Heaven will be the eternal thanksgiving.

The heart will not wonder what to say when standing before God. It will be an immediate and continual thanksgiving. The wonder of eternal life is cloaked in the garments of a thankful heart for the mercy, grace, and love of a benevolent Father. Thanksgiving is a natural response. Blessing and glory and wisdom will be the hymns for eternal ages. Everyone in Heaven will be thankful. If you think thanksgiving is awesome here on earth, just wait until the eternal experience is shared by the saved. Then, and only then, will the true meaning of thanksgiving be realized. Thank you, Father.