Thanking God for what HE HAS GIVEN, HE HAS DONE, and WHO HE IS.
GOD HAS GIVEN
– Ephesians 1:3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.
– 1 Corinthians 15:57. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
– Philemon 1:7. For we have great joy and consolation in thy love, because the bowels of the saints are refreshed by thee, brother (God gives us joy and comfort among Christians.)
GOD HAS DONE
– Colossians 1:12-13. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.
– Psalms. 103:2-3. Praise the Lord, my soul,
and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
And Psalm 107:8,15, 21, 31.
Let men praise the LORD for his loving kindness, and for his
wonderful works to the children of men!
WHO IS
GOD
-1Thessalonians1:9. For
they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto
you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true
God.
“The living and true God”
is a phrase that implies that God is the most living life, with
infinite wisdom, power, and goodness. It also refers to the belief
that there is one true and living God, eternally existing in three
persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This triune God is
seen as perfectly wise, all-powerful, all-present, and all-knowing.
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What should be the focus of Christians on Thanksgiving?
The answer is found on website gotquestions.org.
The original thanksgiving
celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during
their second winter in America in December, 1621. The first winter
had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. At one point their daily
food ration was down to five kernels of corn apiece, but then an
unexpected trading vessel arrived, swapping them beaver pelts for
grain, providing for their severe need. The next summer’s crop
brought hope, and Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13,
1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the
gratitude of the colonists that they were still alive.
These Pilgrims, seeking religious freedom and opportunity in America, gave thanks to God for His provision for them in helping them find 20 acres of cleared land, for the fact that there were no hostile Native Americans in that area, for their newfound religious freedom, and for God’s provision of an interpreter to the Native Americans in Squanto. Along with the feasting and games involving the colonists and more than 80 Native Americans (who added to the feast by bringing wild turkeys and venison), prayers, sermons, and songs of praise were important in the celebration. Three days were spent in feasting and prayer.
From that time forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) is 16th President of the United States officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.
Of all of God’s gifts, the greatest one He has given is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross, Jesus paid our sin debt, so a holy and just Judge could forgive us our sins and give us eternal life as a free gift. This gift is available to those who will call on Christ to save them from their sin in simple but sincere faith. For this gift of His Son, the gift which meets our greatest need, the apostle Paul says, “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15).
We, like the Pilgrims, have a choice. In life there will always be those things that we can complain about, but there will also be much to be thankful for. As our society becomes increasingly secular, the actual “giving of thanks to God” during our annual Thanksgiving holiday is being overlooked, leaving only the feasting. May God grant that He may find us grateful every day for all of His gifts, spiritual and material. God is good, and every good gift comes from Him. For those who know Christ, God also works everything together for good, even events we would not necessarily consider good. Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” May God find us to be His grateful children.
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