“Giving thanks always for all
things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”—Ephesians 5:20.
Throughout history, many cultures have set aside
a time for expressing their thankfulness. In the US, Thanksgiving Day
originated with the pilgrims. In the midst of extreme hardship, loss of loved
ones, and meager supplies, they still believed they were blessed. They chose to
celebrate God's blessings by sharing a meal with Native Americans who had
helped them survive. In the Bible, we
find that God’s people came to gather more than once a year to celebrate God’s
blessings in their lives. For example,
they celebrated the beginning of the harvest, and then again at
the end of the harvest season. Special
occasions were another time to celebrate; such as, after they had gained
victory over their enemies. The Psalmist
declared, “The Lord is my strength and my
shield.... I will give thanks to him in song” (Psalm 28:7).
It is important to set aside time to reflect on
God’s goodness to us. No matter what you
might be going through right now, God has blessed you far more than you can
even imagine, and not just with material goods, but with family, with freedom
and with the ability to enjoy His gifts. Scripture tells us to, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in
Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
Billy Graham wrote, "Ingratitude is a sin, just as surely as is lying or stealing or immorality or any other sin condemned by the Bible." He then quoted Romans 1:21, “Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened,” one of the Bible's indictments against rebellious humanity. Then Dr. Graham added, "Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. And nothing will do more to restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thankfulness."
God has blessed us by giving us the privilege of
knowing Him and walking with Him every day. He did this by sending His Son into
the world to die for our sins. For those
in American who celebrate Thanksgiving this year, may you celebrate the
greatest gift of all by inviting Jesus Christ to come into your life. Then thank God for all His blessings — not
just today, but every day throughout the year.
Prayer—Father I thank You for your unending love in my life. Thank you for all your blessings in my life. Without You my life would be impossible to bear. Thank You, Father, for giving to me a deeper revelation of You and who you have created me to be, in Jesus Name. Amen.
