Thursday, November 8, 2012

What Does Thanksgiving Mean for You?

giving thanks
As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday I am once again reminded that we are frequently led, especially by retailers, to move from Halloween to Christmas.  This is the exact opposite of what the Bible says we should do.  For many Thanksgiving’s focus has been on food and family.  We forget the reason that Thanksgiving was originally established.  While the holiday was started many years after the original event, it was still meant to give thanks to God for watching over us during the preceding year.  Jesus gave us a perfect example when he instigated The Last Supper after he had been betrayed by Judas.  Matthew 26:26 says. “While they were eating Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples.”  Knowing that he was soon to suffer and die on the cross, Jesus still gave thanks to God.

I know that life is never easy, but just as Jesus was able to give thanks under extremely bad conditions, so too should we give thanks for the good things in our lives.  Paul tells us in
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

It is still very important that we continue our daily prayers of thanksgiving, but given the chance to raise up to God a thanksgiving celebration we should not skip over the opportunity.

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