We are in the month of November. The stores are either stocked for Thanksgiving or Christmas. On the radio and TV things are geared for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. I have always valued this time of year for many different reasons. I have enjoyed the holidays when families get together. In our family holidays, the focus was not on material possession or ourselves but on God or more specifically Jesus Christ. Many of these holidays originated out of a syncretistic paganism linked with Christianity. Today they are subtly taken back to their pagan roots. But for us, we don’t have to dwell on those things; we can focus on the only thing that matters, and that is our relationship with Christ.
So what does this have to do with Thanksgiving? Our Thanksgiving in the United States has its origins with those that first settled in this country. They were thankful to God for His provision and protection as they struggled to survive in the harsh reality of a new land. In other countries where a day of Thanksgiving is celebrated it relates to giving thanks for God’s provision for harvest. It is interesting to note the recognition of One who stands above us and provides for our needs. It is not about us but our Creator, and Provider.
What I am Thankful For
Even though there are many things we can be thankful for daily, that is completely hollow and empty if it does not have its origin in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and recognition of God as our Creator, Provider, Savior, and Lord. For those who do not have that, their eternal destiny is very bleak as it will mean eternity separated from the grace, mercy, and love of a living God. They will experience the eternal judgment and wrath of that very same God.
I am therefore first and foremost thankful that God has brought me to that place of recognizing how sinful I am as a selfish, prideful, and fallen human being. I am thankful that God has given me an understanding of what it means to have salvation through Jesus Christ. And I am thankful that He gave me the ability to accept the grace He freely wants to give. If it weren’t for the salvation I have in Christ, my whole life would look different; but also it would literally have no meaning or purpose. My thankfulness now flows out of a changed perspective on life; out of my desire to glorify God in everything I do.
Personal Thanksgiving
Considering there are so many different things I am thankful for, I will only mention a few of the many. I am thankful that the Lord brought my wife into my life and that He gave us two wonderful children. By His grace, He has chosen us, and I am thankful for the love my family has for Him. I am also thankful for the extension He has given our family in Shaun, who also has a deep commitment to the Lord.
I’ll conclude with a thanksgiving that pertains to this family venture. I am thankful to see our family come together to pursue this endeavor with excellence, to strive to give God the best they have in ability and talents and to continue to develop their skills to bring God the greatest glory and honor possible. It is truly a blessing as parents to see this desire in our children, knowing that all of this is a result of God’s sovereign grace. I am thankful to the Lord for these things every day He allows me to breathe.
The Bible clearly speaks of the sad reality and the horrific condition man is in if he does not recognize God for who He is and does not bring Him the glory, honor, and thanksgiving He deserves. May this not be the reality of anyone who reads this blog. But if it is, know that there is hope in Jesus Christ, and the answer to this human predicament is found in the Bible.
Rom 1:18-23 (NASB)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21 For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
