Thanksgiving

One of the great American traditions is that of taking a day out of the year and setting it aside from other days - to commemorate the loving mercy and grace of God by the giving of thanks to Him.

"Thanksgiving" day, as we Americans are blessed to celebrate, is a day to give thanks to God for His manifold blessings upon our nation, our communities, our families, and our individual lives.

The original idea of Thanksgiving Day has its foundation in the trials and tribulations that the original Founding Fathers and Mothers had while lacking adequate shelter, food and supplies. Historians cite that, within the first year, their numbers were depleted by almost 50%. Rather than complain or give up, like those Israelites who told Moses "Would to God we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger," they were grateful to God for His kindness and celebrated the goodness of God in spite of all their struggles. (Ex. 16:3)

A lesson the Lord has taught me over the years, and one you can learn from too, is this: "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (1 Thess. 5:18)

Do you want God to show up? Then replace all men-praising with God-praising! Giving thanks is truly a form of worship and praise, and Brethren, we have the promise of Scripture that "God inhabits the praises of His people" (Ps. 22:3) . . . and those praises are for God alone, not man.

Sadly today, the American culture out of which the Thanksgiving celebration arose, has changed. Looking at our culture and society through a biblical lens, America is fallen in the sense of failing to give thanks to God, failing to acknowledge His providential blessings, and failing to repent of sin and to obey His commands. We still have the tradition, sure, but do you notice the subtlety with which the meaning of Thanksgiving in our culture has eroded?

I love to see the families and friends gathered together for fellowship and a meal, but not if there's a lack of a profound and deep gratitude to the providence of God for His tender mercies, His comfort, and His providence over of our lives. If you forget Him, then you've failed to understand what Thanksgiving is all about.

The failure of our American society in 2024 is clearly penetrated by what the bible warns about - and what people would be like in the "last days" before the Lord Jesus returns on the Day of Judgement - when He separates the "sheep" (who enter the joy of the Lord in the new heaven & earth after the current earth is destroyed by Him) from the "goats" (who are cast into the Lake of Fire to be damned & tormented forever).

The people, the majority even in American culture today, eerily point to just how close we are to His return. Jesus has given us the description of what people will be like just before He returns:

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God" (2 Tim. 3:1-4)

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he spells out the universal foundation of the guilt of this world - the sins of the human heart. He declares that through the created order itself, He manifests Himself, so we all are without excuse. That means that on Judgement Day, noone will be able to say "but I didnt know!"

As David said that “the heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork” (Psalm 19:1), the beauty of the Creator is made abudantly clear through creation. 

And yet, many live every day with spiritual blindfolds on while suppressing God's revelation in the created order and denying His ONLY means of salvation from our fallen nature, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The Holy Spirit, through Scripture, brings the whole world to the tribunal of God and declares all mankind "guilty." Listen to what Paul says in Romans 1:18-21: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Do you hear that indictment? Do you see the twin evils?

First, they refused to honor God or acknowledge Him even though every breath they take comes through the goodness of God. Paul is saying that the knowledge of God is inescapable, but the sin and heart of man is so dark that we refuse to acknowledge what we know to be true. We refuse to honor or worship Him as God, to give Him the honor that He deserves. 

The second evil sin is like unto the first: “neither were they thankful” (Romans 1:21). That’s why so many people take the thanks out of Thanksgiving, and what a shame that is.

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul gives a mandate to all believers: that we ought always to pray without ceasing, in season and out of season. And added to it is this apostolic injunction: In all of our prayers, we are to pray with THANKSGIVING.

Fundamental to our Christian life, Brethren, is the giving of thanks...to...God...in...Christ. It's not just one day out of 365 days. No, as the family of God, we are called to give thanks every living moment of our lives here/now - in preparation for the life to come.

Please Brethren, please, let this 2024 Thanksgiving be different!!! Reflect upon the fact that every breath you take comes through the goodness of God to whom all honor is due and to Whom thanksgiving is owed.

As you do that, I hope you have a truly happy and blessed Thanksgiving by giving thanks to God alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone! Amen.