We have just celebrated Thanksgiving – one of my favorite holidays. To my chagrin, retail businesses have more and more lumped it with Halloween and Christmas to become “Happy HalloThankmas” but still it is worthwhile to set aside time to count our blessings and thank God for them. Early in 1789, George Washington suggested the date of November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. However, subsequent presidents did not wholly support the idea. But on October 3, 1863, in the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving. In his speech, Lincoln said in part “the year that is drawing to a close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Highest God. It has seemed to me fit and proper that these gifts should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people; I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and a Prayer to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in the heavens”.
Indeed, Lincoln recognized and reminded Americans that God bestows to us gifts of bounty and prosperity. Do we often stop and think that ALL that we have is a precious gift from God? We should! What are you thankful for after this especially difficult year of Covid and isolation? I encourage you to take the time to list your own special blessings, and perhaps, be amazed!
Here is a partial list of my Thanksgiving to God, but in no particular order: -I have loving, close and extended family members that are precious to me. -I have the blessing of being loved and raised by godly parents. -I have a brother and sister-in-law that recently showed me love-in-action. -I am surrounded by many precious, and some longtime, friends. -I have a sweet, little dog who keeps me company. -I am reasonably healthy and can live alone in my retirement years. -I live in a beautiful home with no mortgage. -I frequently enjoy a hot cup of coffee. -I rarely feel hungry and I have a freezer full of food. -I can smell the fragrant scent of a candle. -I have warm socks to wear when my feet are cold. -I have shoes and boots to wear that are comfortable. -I have a safe car to drive and a garage to park in. -I live in a safe neighborhood, with neighbors who watch out for me. -I sleep in a warm bed with clean sheets. -I have ears that can hear beautiful birds singing their songs. -I have a yard to enjoy, plant in and grow many lovely flowers. -I have eyes that can see springtime blossoms and fall colors. -I can see the brilliant colors and variety of birds that come to my yard. -I have more than one Bible that I can read freely and without fear. -I have enough money that I can pack a Samaritan’s Purse shoebox. -I have a church home where I can freely worship or watch online. -I had money to make a lifetime trip to Israel and walk where Jesus walked. -I have the privilege of leading women’s Bible classes from time to time. -I have the privilege of supporting several mission areas. -I have energy to start and complete necessary tasks. -I have my own computer, phone and i-pad. -I own more clothes than I can wear. -I have many books that I own and can read leisurely. -I have fresh water to drink. -I live in a country that still offers wonderful freedoms. -I have experienced the love of a godly husband. -I have two beautiful grandchildren.
God’s Word has much to say about being thankful: Psalm 100:4 “…give thanks to Him and praise His name”. Psalm 95:2 “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song”. Philippians 4:6 “…in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving make your requests known to God”. II Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift”. I Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. Hebrews 13:15 “Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name”. Psalm 106:1 “Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever”.
“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God; and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer, but richer for having made it”. A.W.Tozer