Why Thank God?

Mrs. Laverdia Roach from the historic Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA dissects the question asked by Emunah host Charisse: "Why do you believe we should thank God (Yahweh) for promotions, bonuses, raises and other things He didn't 'directly' give us?" In giving a faith-based response, Mrs. Roach insists that God tells us in his Word that we have an "obligation, duty" to express gratitude for the good things we experience in our lives. Psalms 106:11 - "O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: ..." Also, Psalm 100:4 - "Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and his courts with praise; ..." Other scriptures are Psalm 95: 2-3 and 1 Chronicles 16:34. "The Bible is full of instructions to us regarding our obligation to give thanks to God for all things," Mrs. Roach says. She says the answer is "based on the understanding of God's Word that articulates His will, based on the observation of God's movement in the world and in the lives of His people and based on (our) personal walk with Him." "Christians know that everything good ultimately comes from God," says Mrs. Roach. "It is in our best interest to be reminded that everything we have is a gift from Him." Besides scriptures and biblical knowledge, Mrs. Roach also uses her own personal experiences to ponder the question. Before her retirement, she was acting executive director of the President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities. She was a professional public servant for more than 40 years, serving in the administration of eight presidents. Mrs. Roach earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern University and A&M College and a Master of Arts Degree from Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois. She pursued post-graduate studies at Syracuse University and the University of California at Los Angeles. Prior to her government experience, Mrs. Roach worked as assistant professor in the Department of Special Education at Southern University, where she taught courses in Speech Pathology, Audiology, General Speech and Psychology. She is a member of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia where she has served as president of Discipleship Group 16, sang with Voices of Triumph and Trinity choirs. Currently, she teaches in the Adult Sunday School department and serves as a member of the Theological Overview Committee. Don't miss this episode of Emunah!!!! For comments, questions, insights, contact Women of the Word at [email protected] or visit our website at https://wordconsultingllc.com.