On Thursday, we celebrated Thanksgiving, a day set apart as an American holiday. Families throughout the United States gather, share a meal with the traditional fare of turkey, sweet potatoes, corn, pumpkin, and more... Most importantly, the focus is on giving thanks. As I listen to the conversations, I hear people say "I am thankful for..." The circumstance could be family, health, employment, friends, the list is endless.
Each expression of thankfulness, whether stated or not, is directed somewhere.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. JAMES 1:17
Giving thanks. To whom are we directing our thankfulness?
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;his love endures forever. PSALM 118:1
The origins of this holiday flowed out of gratitude and thankfulness for the Lord's provision as the early settlers began to make their home in this new land. In 1621, after a year of hardship and sickness where many settlers died, the Pilgrims gave thanks to God and celebrated His bountiful provision with feasting and celebration. This was a joyous outpouring of gratitude.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. PSALM 100:4
Giving thanks to the Lord presumes relationship with, or at least the acknowledgement of, the giver.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7
As we learn to live in the ways Jesus did, as Mission, Jesus Style, we learn a lifestyle of giving thanks. Knowing what was to come on the night that He was betrayed, Jesus shared a meal with His disciples. The Scripture reads:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. MATTHEW 26:26-30
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. PSALM 100:4
Giving thanks to the Lord presumes relationship with, or at least the acknowledgement of, the giver.
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7
As we learn to live in the ways Jesus did, as Mission, Jesus Style, we learn a lifestyle of giving thanks. Knowing what was to come on the night that He was betrayed, Jesus shared a meal with His disciples. The Scripture reads:
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. MATTHEW 26:26-30
Jesus teaches us that in the face of evil in this broken world,
which disguises itself in the difficulties of life,
(hardship, betrayal, pain, illness, death), we can
which disguises itself in the difficulties of life,
(hardship, betrayal, pain, illness, death), we can
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, and His love endures forever!
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