Main Thought
Every year, the month of November kicks off the holiday season with a theme of gratitude and thankfulness. Gratitude can be defined as the act of feeling AND communicating appreciation and thankfulness for people, circumstances and possessions in our lives. Our main text tells the story of Nehemiah, who took it upon himself to lead a group of Israelites to rebuild the broken walls around Jerusalem. Thankfulness is not the central theme in the this story. But we can learn from Nehemiah who, after completing the wall, made it a point to stop everything they were doing to express their thankfulness to God. As we come out of the Thanksgiving holiday, and progress into Christmas and the new year, let’s use the following discussion questions to help us reflect on the theme of always being thankful and expressing it to God and others.
Main Passages
27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. 28 And the sons of the singers gathered together from the district surrounding Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; 29 also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. 30 And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. 31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate. 32 And after them went Hoshaiah and half of the leaders of Judah
38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,
40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;
43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.
- Nehemiah 12:27-32, 38, 40, 43
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds…
- James 1:2
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Discussion Questions
Do you personally find it easy or difficult to express gratitude to God or to others? Explain.
With 2020-2021 being such challenging years, what are some things that you are grateful for that have come out of this difficult season?
What are some ways you can actively show gratitude towards God and in the next few weeks? How can you show gratitude towards others?