Going out in jamaat

what i try to figure out is everytime they start these lecture they say we should thank Allah for give us the oppurtunity to read salaat with jamaat..i keep finding a problem with this statement as SALAAT is fard, how can you say thanks for something you have to do… i can accept the fact thanks Allah for making us muslim but not statement above.. its like almost telling your children thank you for eating when they were extremely hungry