Thanksgiving

The fourth-grader rose from his desk and walked slowly to the front of the classroom to deliver a report concerning the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday. With Thanksgiving just days away, the classroom was buzzing with excitement. The teacher shared the eagerness of her students and felt that she had done an adequate job of encouraging each child to focus on the true meaning of the holiday. Those hopes were soundly dashed against the words of the young speaker.

“The pilgrims came here seeking freedom of … you know what. When they landed, they gave thanks to … you know who. Because of these brave people, we can celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday and our freedom to worship every Sunday … you know where.”

We laugh at the thought of leaving God’s name out of this childish writing but, in fact, many of us are just as guilty of leaving Him out of our daily walk – especially when it comes to giving thanks. While Thanksgiving does remind us to stop and give thanks, Thanksgiving is not just a national holiday to be celebrated for a few hours each November. Learning to live in the gear of perpetual thanksgiving is a life changing discipline. Giving thanks should be a natural characteristic and innate practice of every believer. It is thanking God for all that He has done as well as for all He is presently doing and going to do in the future. Thanksgiving heightens our awareness of His presence and thrives on an active, living faith – a faith that is not ashamed to boldly act or afraid to speak out even in the face of doubt.

Let’s be thankful EVERYDAY for all He has done!