Give Thanks

Thanksgiving is a great day to spend with family and other loved ones. Almost everyone looks forward to the week of Thanksgiving and the day. There are lots of reasons for that. For some the shortened work week is a much anticipated respite. For others it is the time with family. For others it is the turkey and dressing. For others it is the endless football.

The scriptures teach that thanksgiving is not only a ‘day’ but that it should be a way of life. From the earliest days of Israel’s history the people of God would respond to life with a line that is recorded dozens of times in the Old Testament --- Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (1 Chronicles 16:34 NIV)

Jesus half-brother James wrote: 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 NIV)

The Apostle Paul wrote: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV)

Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17 NIV)

A good verse to live the rest of life by is: Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2 NIV)

Thankfulness centers our heart on the reality that everything we have is not ours because of our strength, ingenuity, talents, beauty or family heritage. What we have does come from the Father. What about what doesn’t happen? Has tragedy, struggle, sickness, etc not happened to us because of our ability to control all of life, protect ourselves and keep ‘bad’ away? No! The truth is protection and ‘being spared from’ things is also a gift from the Father above.

In different settings I’ve been personally challenged by people who start EVERY prayer with thanksgiving. My tendency is to jump into business. There are so many needs in life. There are things that I would really like to see God do. There are people who need miracles. So I just jump into business.

I walk away from those times of praying with others challenged to slow down, to not be in such a rush to get to business but instead to take time to give thanks.

I need to grow in making thanksgiving a way of life. How about you?