Tuesday, November 22, 2022
Thanksgiving is upon us again and people are rushing around buying their turkeys and stuffing for the big meal. For many, it’s just another holiday where football is in the forefront, or the big Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and getting geared for the Black Friday sales. You look on internet in your area and there are tons of activities to participate in, keeping one busy and active. All these things are fine, if you like that sort of thing, but in the midst of all this, how many people actually take the time to really give thanks?
Merriam-Webster defines Thanksgiving as “the act of giving thanks” and “a prayer expressing gratitude.” The Bible has even more to say about the topic. Look at the Psalms: Psalm 100:4-5 says, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden, the God who is our salvation. Selah.” Also Psalm 106:1, “Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Psalm 66:16-20 adds, “Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul I cried to Him with my mouth, and He was extoled with my tongue. If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear; But certainly, God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me.” One more, Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with song, and magnify Him with thanksgiving.” The list goes on, and that is just from the Psalms, many of which were written amidst difficulty and pain. What does that tell you and I? We are living in difficult times, all the more reason to give thanks for His goodness in these times. There is always reason for something to be thankful for if you have a grateful heart.
Henry Smith wrote a song in 1978 that many have used as a Thanksgiving song since (not only). The chorus goes: “Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son… give thanks.” This song expresses what kind of heart we should have, to whom, and for what. Hebrews 12:28 puts it even better, “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe.” Yes! Because of what we have in Christ, a kingdom which cannot be shaken, we should show our gratitude, not just in words, but also through service. Furthermore, it is to be done with reverence and awe. Think about that.
In today’s world, much is done quickly and halfheartedly, not acceptably. Other words for acceptable are: Adequate, satisfactory, worthy, good, decent and respectable. Looking at this list, I have to ask myself, “when I do service for the Lord, can these words be used to describe the quality of the work?” The Bible tells us that anything we do should be unto the Lord (Colossians 3:17), so it doesn’t matter who our boss is, Jesus is the ultimate boss and anything we do should be done for Him. In having this attitude, we are showing hearts of thanksgiving and gratitude.
If you don’t do it already, I challenge you to spend time this Thanksgiving making a list of all the things you are thankful/grateful for. Make it a family project and see what you come up with. Tim and I have started making a list every Sunday afternoon of our blessings received the previous week. I also try naming every day 5 or more things for which I am grateful for. It isn’t habit yet for some days I forget but I am working on it. I find, with a grateful heart, I have less to complain about. I have more joy in life and am seeing God’s goodness even in the little things.
Five things I am grateful for at this very moment:
1. Being able to write this blog for you.
2. The squirrels and birds who entertain me as I sit here at my desk and type each blog.
3. The gift of creativity even when I don’t feel very creative.
4. For each one of my readers that I have been able to encourage in one way or another.
5. The precious gift of salvation through Jesus Christ my LORD!
May you truly give thanks with a grateful heart not just at Thanksgiving, but throughout the year.
Happy Thanksgiving, Mari
Amen! Today I am truly thankful for Thanksgiving Day. Although every day I thank the LORD for the abundant life He has given me…I am amazed at His goodness to me every day. I love Him because He first loved me and gave His life a Ransome for my sins and gives me continuing assurance of His abiding presence in my life.