As the summer turned into fall and leaves began to change color, you can feel the crisp air, you see the Christmas decorations pop up and people getting ready for the holiday season. As I noticed the first greeting sign with words “Happy Thanksgiving,” I paused and thought about Thanksgiving day. If you are a reader of this blog, you know it is my favorite holiday. What does the greeting ‘HAPPY THANKSGIVING” mean to you? Of course, I understand the logic of it but if you go deeper from a Christian perspective is it possible to give thanks without a happy heart? Is it possible to be thankful if you are bitter, resentful and unforgiving? So today, as you celebrate with family, take a moment to think about what you are grateful for and why? You may say this is easy, family, friends, home, job, etc, but is that all? What if God took all of that away? Now tell me what you are thankful for? Let’s look at it from a biblical perspective. Here is what Paul says in Philippians 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
When Paul wrote this verse, he was sitting in prison, in chains with the possibility of being executed yet he says rejoice. You see happiness depends on things and circumstances, but the real joy comes from being content and knowing Christ. Few verses later, Paul tells do not be anxious but with prayer and Thanksgiving ….what did Paul have to be thankful for in prison, in chains? He had given up the life of luxury and had endured many difficulties to spread the Gospel, and as a reward, he was sitting in prison. Instead of being bitter & resentful, he is thanking God. What is the source of your happiness? Is it the material things you have? Do your circumstances bring happiness to you or do you have Joy not because WHAT you have but instead because WHO you have? I genuinely believe you can not give thanks unless you are HAPPY. How can you give thanks to God when you have not forgiven? Or bitter about your lot in life? Or angry with God for your circumstances?
We have the same reason to be thankful as Paul did. We have an eternal hope in Christ. As you celebrate this Thanksgiving, take a moment to reflect on your relationship with Jesus. Do you have one? If not then I pray you accept Christ today and the angels will celebrate Thanksgiving in heaven for your saved soul. If you know Jesus, examine your walk with Christ. Are you harboring attitudes that hinder you from having true Joy? As you sit around the dinner table, is there someone in your family, you need to forgive? Someone, you need to share the Gospel With? Do they see Jesus in you? As you read the Gospel, Lots of ministry took place around the dinner table. It was at the dinner table Mary showed her love for Christ by anointing Jesus with fragrant oil, and it was at that same dinner table Judas decided to walk away from Jesus. Both knew Jesus intimately, they both had a close relationship with Jesus and were the first-hand witness of His ministry, but one gave herself completely the other was bitter and walked away. Do we have a heart of Mary or Judas? Like Mary, are we giving our best to God or Like Judas are we just expecting to use Jesus for our benefit?
Is this just another thanksgiving day for you? Is it just a start of another hectic holiday season? Is it another day where you going to overeat, watch football and enjoy the day off and yeah only offer a token of thank you prayer to God? I hope & pray, today you look at the most important reason why we should be thankful…JESUS. We have salvation. He gave his life so that we can have life and that should be THE ONLY reason we need for a grateful heart. No matter what our circumstances are, you could be in a palace with all the food you can eat or be in prison, naked and hungry, our joy comes from the God because of what he did for us on the cross. I think most people reading this are familiar with Psalm 23 and many of us can probably recite it. We love the Good shepherd especially when he leads us in green pasture and Still waters, but I am most thankful when He walks with me in Valley of the shadow of death. So today, whether you are by green pasture & still water or going through trials and hardship, BE THANKFUL for the Shepherd. He is the source of our JOY. And because of His love for me, I am thankful, and my heart is full of gratitude. As a born-again Christian, it is Thanksgiving day, every day what a blessing. Thank you, Jesus.
only savior jesus 