“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4).
When I was growing up, Thanksgiving was an important day. My grandmother cooked all of her special recipes (I still make them today), the best dinnerware was set on the table, cloth tablecloths were used, and the family would gather to give thanks to God. We all wore our “Sunday best” clothes; the girls wore dresses, and the boys wore slacks and dress shirts. It was a special day, and even as a child, I knew I had a lot to be thankful for. Not only for the feast that was about to be devoured, but for the blessings of family and the blessings of a home to live in and not facing hunger.
The older generation taught the younger generation the importance of giving thanks to God for all He provides. That gratitude has never left me, but I often wonder about those who have no belief in God. They celebrate Thanksgiving, but to whom are they thankful? Christians know exactly who blesses us every day, and we know we need to thank God for everything, but do we?
These days, it seems as if the day set aside to be thankful is spent watching football. The kids are stuck on their phones, and very little thankfulness or family time is stressed. Even in Old Testament times, the great heroes of Scripture thanked God. The feasts of Israel are all centered around God. The Psalms are filled with praises to God, and Job made the great declaration “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth” (Job 19:25).
Job, King David, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Daniel, and others knew God, and they served Him; they believed His promise of redemption and were thankful. Did they understand all of the details of Jesus’ birth? No, but they believed God and looked forward to the Messiah coming. The Psalms have more joy and thanks giving to God than is found in many Christian hearts today.
Is God an imaginary being who lives somewhere in the wild blue yonder, or do you know Him as your Saviour?
God is not imaginary; He is real, and His love is the greatest love there is. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:16-18).
God’s Son willingly left Heaven’s glory, stepped into this fallen world, and shed His own blood for the salvation of everyone who believes. Now that’s something to be thankful for. God is very real, and Jesus is God. Jesus was crucified, but the grave couldn’t hold Him. He arose from the grave and conquered death. Thank you, Jesus, thank You so much!
When we humble ourselves and repent of our sin, our salvation is secure. Like Job, we know that our redeemer lives!
The difference between Christians today and the people who lived in Old Testament times is the cross. Jesus brought grace and mercy to mankind, and reconciliation for the curse of the sin we all inherit from Adam. “For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).
Are you thankful for that? You should be. We all should thank God every day for His love and blessings. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
We all are born into this world, and even the most precious baby has a sin nature. Only being born a second time – born of the Spirit through faith in Jesus – is the only way that sin can be forgiven. No works and no other religion can bring salvation. Only God can be thanked for that.
Christians are heirs to the promise of God. Our redemption is secure, and no matter how rich or poor we are in this life, our eternal home is a mansion being built by Jesus. “That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12-14).
Jesus shed His blood to purchase our redemption. Faith in Him means you are purchased by the Blood of the Lamb and sealed by the Holy Spirit. That seal cannot be broken, and our salvation is safe. Will we ever sin again? Yes. Will that sin cancel our salvation? No. Should we thank God for that promise? Absolutely!
Jesus referred to himself as our Good Shepherd. Sheep need a shepherd to keep them safe, and Christians are safe with Jesus as our Shepherd. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-30).
We have so many reasons to give thanks to God. As I’m writing this, I’m feeling very humble and thankful. I’m just one woman who tries to serve Him, but too often I fail. When I think of how small I am and how mighty and powerful He is, I’m overwhelmed. He knows me and gave His life for me. I’m not just a number like a social security number, or the next to be served at a donut counter. The God of all Creation knows me, and the Holy Spirit lives inside of me. If you’ve accepted His free gift of salvation, then this is also true for you. Are you thankful? I hope you are.
But all of this brings up the question about who are non-believers thankful to? I have been to a funeral service where I sat next to a friend who didn’t believe. During the service, the pastor asked everybody to bow their heads in a silent prayer. I prayed for God to comfort the family and give them strength to face each new day. The young man who had died was a Christian, so that was a comfort. What did my friend do? Who did she pray to? Did she even pray, or was her mind a blank?
I’ve been in similar situations on a few occasions, and I always wonder about the non-believers. Then along comes Thanksgiving. In America, we celebrate a day of Thanksgiving every year on the fourth Thursday in November. The Pilgrims knew who had kept them alive on their journey to this new land, and they knew it was God Almighty who had provided them with food to sustain them through harsh times. They were thankful to God, and we who celebrate Thanksgiving in this modern time need to understand that we also need to be thankful to God.
“Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness” (Psalm 97:12). God is holy and is to be praised.
As Americans prepare to celebrate a day of thanksgiving, let me encourage each and every one of us to take a look at our blessings. Family, friends, homes, and food are all things to be thankful for. God is the one who gives us all blessings. Be thankful to Him. Remember, too, that God the Son gave His life so that everyone who truly believes in His death, burial, and resurrection will live eternally with Him. Thank God for that blessing.
May everyone who reads this have a blessed and thankful Thanksgiving.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).
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