18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
How should a Christian celebrate Thanksgiving? Today, all around America, families are celebrating this uniquely American holiday. This is not a religious holiday, certainly, it is not biblical. People will enjoy a feast today, watch some football and get ready for the shopping season. But, those of us who are “Born Again” should reflect on what it truly means to be thankful.
Let us look at the word itself. It is a compound word made out of two words, Thanks and Giving. On the surface, it is simple, reflect on all the blessings in your life and appreciate family, friends, and provisions. There is no doubt the focus is on thanks no matter what faith you follow, or most will simply say I am thankful and will not even mention God. However, I want to speak to you about the second word, “GIVING”. For a Christian (this means born again), it is impossible to be truly thankful without giving. Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Please notice he does not say when things are good, you are employed, you have no debt, you are healthy, etc, but rather in all circumstances. This is only possible when we have learned to “give up”.
Now, as soon as I mention giving, many of you might be thinking, here comes sharing on tithes. Yes, giving cheerfully, is a product of a thankful heart, but there is much more to it than donating money. You can donate generously and yet still have a bitter unsaved heart. A truly grateful heart only comes from surrendering to God, giving up all our desires, putting away our ego, giving up our flesh, and inviting Jesus in our heart. When He comes in you and makes you into a new creature, the first change is you are loving. And, it is that heart filled with love which helps you in forGIVING, living, Surrendering. In other words, we become the living sacrifice because of our salvation, justification, and sanctification by the blood of Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel of Luke, we meet a man named Zacchaeus. You all know the story, he is on the tree, hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus as He passes by. Jesus goes to His house and dines with him, and Zacchaeus is transformed into a new man. It is with a new heart, he shows a great example of a thankful heart. He repays to all he ever cheated. Jesus never asked him to do it. After Jesus reached out to him, Zacchaeus changed his ways and went above and beyond to make things right. He gave up his wealth, which he cherished, as soon as Christ entered his heart. It was a loving act of a thankful heart. What is it that you are holding on to? Is there a relationship that you need to restore? Have you wronged someone? Perhaps, Someone has hurt you, and there is bitterness in your heart. Whatever it is, unless you have completely surrendered yourself to Jesus, it is hard to be thankful. For us Christians, our gratitude comes from a heart that belongs to God. He had promised us a new heart when we give up control. We trust him and experience His faithfulness, and when that happens, we are no longer thankful because of material things in our life instead, our focus is on what Christ had done for us on the cross. At that moment, Christ pours out his unending love in our hearts ( Romans 5:5), and it is that loving heart that helps in GIVING up: selfishness, envy, control, money, pride, jealousy, etc. And when we see what God has done for us and in us, we can not help but be grateful. And like Zacchaeus, our action will demonstrate the thankful heart. Merely just saying I thank God and listing all your possessions means nothing unless Jesus is in your heart and our day to day life reflects it.
So today, as you sit down to eat your meal, as you enjoy the turkey, trimmings, and football, Like Zacchaeus, invite Jesus to your house. He has no requirements for us before he comes to visit. We do not have to make all things right or be perfect before letting Him in. He already knows who we are and what shape our house is in. He wants to be there anyway. His presence alone and His love for us will lead us to do things we never thought we could do: even admitting where we have been wrong and making things right. I have no doubt Zacchaeus lived a different, fuller life after this encounter with Jesus. And we can have the same experience. If you have not surrendered your heart, invite him in and make it a blessed Thanksgiving. And, for those of us who have accepted Christ yet, we have not completely surrendered, today is the day for full surrender. A thankful heart is a mark of true Christian regardless of circumstances. An absence of a grateful heart shows a heart in need of mending, instruction, direction. Paul puts it simply as it is God’s will for you to be thankful so let us examine ourselves. In all the festivities today, take a moment to reflect on what God has done for you, changes you need to make, relationships that need to be rebuilt. Start with your relationship with Christ, and rest will take care of itself. I wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving. Let us keep each other in prayer and wait for our Lord to come for His Bride. Amen
only savior jesus 