After Halloween, everyone seems to rush right over Thanksgiving in their desire to get to Christmas. It would not be so bad, if their intent was to celebrate the birth of Christ, but I really think the presents are the big draw. I would ask everyone to slow down and take the time to “Give Thanks.” That is what Thanksgiving is all about—giving thanks to the Lord for all His provisions.

When the pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians sat together for their first meal of thanksgiving, in November 1621, they did it to give thanks. They were thankful to the Lord, for getting through a very difficult winter and the assistance of an Abenaki Indian and Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe, who taught them how to survive in this new land.

Two years later, in 1622, they had their second meal of Thanksgiving. They were celebrating the end of a long drought, which had threatened their crops and promised a winter with no food stores. God again had provided for them, and they gave thanks.

Today, in 2014, we are living in very perilous times, and it is so important for us to stop and take the time to give thanks, for God, in His great mercy and love, has given us the greatest gift, one that no one can take from us. He has given us His Son, who took all our sins upon Himself, so we could be saved from our sin.

What a tremendous gift we have been given. God has given us eternity with Him in heaven. If God gave us nothing more, we have enough to give thanks every day, but salvation and eternity was not all He had or has for us. He pours out His love, grace and mercy upon us every day. Psalm 106:1 says: Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

No matter what we are going through in our lives, God will walk right beside us, even going before us when needed. He brings healing, comfort, strength, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, provisions and so much more. Think about all God does for you in your lives. Think about the words He gave to Jeremiah the Prophet for His rebellious people: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

It is so easy to think about the things we do not like in our lives. It is so easy to dwell on the disappointments, but if we take the time, every day, to give thanks to the Lord, we will focus on the tremendous blessings in our lives and those little disappointments will no longer seem so great.

Remember, if all He gave us was salvation and eternity with Him, it would be enough to cause us to give thanks every day of our lives!

So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations (Psalm 79:13).

~Staff Writer