Give Thanks

Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son.  And now let the weak say I am strong, let the poor say I am rich for what the Lord has done for me.  Give thanks.

In 1621 Pilgrims gathered to celebrate the first Thanksgiving Day to show their gratitude to Almighty God.  In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday, and this month 150 years later, we will celebrate this holiday again. 

However, in our nation things have changed.   Today, Thanksgiving is more about food, football, and being first to the mall than it is about giving gratitude to God.  For many, giving thanks to God is an afterthought.

Remember the story in the Bible of the ten men with leprosy who cried out to Jesus to have pity on them?  Jesus told them to go show themselves to the priests, and on the way their leprosy disappeared.  They were healed.  One of the ten lepers, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God, I am healed!”

He fell face down on the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him for what He had done.  Jesus healed ten men, but only one gave thanks. 

Giving thanks covers a whole lot of things. 

You can give thanks to God that you are born again, a new creation in Christ and have every spiritual blessing from above.

You can give thanks to God if you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep, because you are richer than 75% of this world.

You can give thanks to God if you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, because you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.

You can give thanks to God if you woke up this morning with more health than illness, because you are more blessed than the many who will not survive this day.

At the heart of Thanksgiving is the spirit of gratitude, which makes this a perfect opportunity to let you know how grateful we are for your partnering with us to proclaim the truth about the grace of God and your continued prayers and financial support.  Thank you.

LIFE LESSON:  Give thanks to God in all things.  As you gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, remember to give thanks with a grateful heart for the many blessings we have.  And all God’s people said Amen!

Happy Thanksgiving.