“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good;
His love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1
Just over four weeks from now we will be
sitting down to celebrate Thanksgiving with
family and friends. Some are already
making food and decorating decisions.
Others are making travel plans. Is that all
there is to Thanksgiving? Special food with
the best of friends? Is that how this holiday
got started? Someone simply felt a need for
a special day to fellowship and eat together?
Or was there a deeper significance?
The first Thanksgiving celebrated the
blessings of the harvest, thanking God for
His gifts and provision. Even today, most
people though focused on the material
blessings of life, gather around the table and
before partaking of the food, take time for a
prayer of thanksgiving. And for some the
conversation around the table is deliberately
centered on sharing the gifts God provided
over the previous year. Each participant is
encouraged to share their own blessing from
the Lord. The main emphasis of this day
should be on praising God. But as the years
have passed it seems food, fellowship and
football have taken the lead. Maybe it is
time to rethink our approach to this holiday.
What if we took the same time to prepare
ourselves spiritually for Thanksgiving as we
do materially? We make time to plan the
meal, the main course and all the trimmings.
We prepare a guest list and set the time and
place. Why not determine just how we plan
to: “Give thanks to the Lord for He is
good?” Isn’t He the focus of our gathering?
Where do we begin? The first word
provides a great start: Give!
Who do we know that may be all alone this
Thanksgiving? Someone who lost their
spouse or only living relative. Could we set
another chair at our table for them?
What family in our sphere of influence has
gone through tough times this year due to
illness, job loss, or relocation? Could a full
Thanksgiving basket remind them of the
Lord’s blessing?
Give thanks to the Lord! Let your family
and guests know this year you want to make
this Thanksgiving special. The focus of this
gathering is giving thanks! Everyone will be
expected to share a blessing from the Lord.
(Something more than: Thank you Lord for
the sunshine)
You get the picture. We have four weeks.
Plan a special Thanksgiving! For He is
Good!
Blessed by you….Bro. Sherman
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