Articles
Thanksgiving
“THANKSGIVING”
This Thursday we celebrate the holiday Thanksgiving in America. We have set aside this day to gather with family and friends and give thanks for our blessings. Throughout the Bible, we see “thanksgiving” for blessings as a theme. In the Old Testament, God’s people praised Him for the wonderful things that He had done for them. Israel had a history of giving thanks to God for the mercy and deliverance that He showed them. Even in the New Testament, we read, “then He took the five loaves and two fish, and looking up to heaven He gave thanks and broke them.” (Luke 9:16) At the Last Supper, Jesus took the bread and gave thanks and offered it to His followers. (I Corinthians11:24) Jesus offers us a wonderful example of giving thanks to God.
As we approach the holiday this week, we should consider these thoughts about thanksgiving.
Motive: When we give thanks to God, our only motive should be one of pure gratitude. Thanksgiving is giving thanks and nothing more. Of all of the types of prayers that we offer, a prayer of thanksgiving is the least likely to be polluted or corrupted with selfish thoughts. It is the least likely to contain subconscious appeals to manipulate God. The prayer should be about God’s blessings toward us and our appreciation for those blessings.
Knowledgeable: Being grateful requires us to look back into our past and acknowledge those blessings for which we are thankful. Whether those blessings are in our recent past or many years ago, remember they are from God. Unfortunately, in our culture, people are infatuated with the future, and the result is that giving thanks is sometimes neglected. Giving thanks to God is about looking backwards and expressing our gratitude for the good things that have come our way.
Comprehensive: On the American holiday, we thank God for our meal. While this is good and proper, there is so much more we should include in our prayers. We are so blessed with our families, friends, homes, jobs, freedoms, and hundreds of other things. Giving God thanks should be a theme that runs throughout our lives. We should give thanks in the good times as well as the bad times. The Pilgrims lived close enough to the soil to know how dependent they were on God’s blessings. Even in the bitter winters with scarce food, they learned to thank God for all they had. They were eager to thank Him during their times of abundance, as well.
As Thanksgiving Day approaches, take time to consider the many blessings that you enjoy. Be grateful for these wonderful benefits, and thank God for them.
May God continue to bless us and keep us safe throughout the coming days. Give thanks always to our Father above for His bountiful blessings.
Written by Larry Schneider
