Tis the Season! With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s important to slow down and remember what this time of the year is about.
So much celebration happens in a short amount of time at the end of the year, and it can be easy to get caught up in the chaos. I love that we as a nation take one day and give thanks to our creator for all he has done for us. The wonderful blessings he has given that we are grateful for, like our children, our loving spouse, a new car, food on the table, or a new job.
My favorite family tradition on Thanksgiving is when we stand in a circle and say one thing that we are thankful for and then pray to God for thanks. It’s such a small thing, but it is a powerful one.
Giving thanks to God puts into perspective what our entire life is as a Christian. It’s simple to think about: God has shown us GRACE, and we respond with praise and Thanksgiving to show our gratitude.
We live a life that is given to God because he loves us. Just think about this bible verse:
“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace is reaching more and more people may cause Thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”
– 2 Corinthians 4:15-16
We may celebrate and come together to give thanks one day out of the year, but we should love our lives serving and giving thanks to the Lord every day we walk the Earth. I think one of my favorite stories in the bible to read is Daniel in the lion’s den.
When you think of this, you don’t think of it as something that resembles Thanksgiving. But if you read it, you will notice that even in his captivity, Daniel was praising God. Daniel was a prisoner and was punished for praising God, but never failed to give thanks and pray.
God, in answer, sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions and protected Daniel. In going through something hard, Daniel’s first thought and act was to pray and give thanks.
This Thanksgiving, I want to go beyond just giving thanks for the small things and be thankful for the grace God has shown me by sending his son, Jesus, to die for my sins. Living a life of thankful reflection and showing that we live a life of thanks is one of the best ways to respond to God’s gift of Grace he has showered upon us.
Go out and share God’s Grace.
