When we give God the Father thanks I wonder if we really know what we are doing. Is it enough to just say thank you or say a prayer before a meal? And when we give thanks, are we thanking Him or are we just glad to be alive and well and to have an excuse to have a good time? The Apostle Paul writes: “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you.” Giving thanks, in the most profound sense, involves far more than counting one’s blessings. This is little more than selfishness with a smile. Giving thanks is about acknowledging with joy God’s will—despite circumstances. But more than this, offering thanks is a matter of showing it, both to God and to those with whom we are connected. “No one has seen God; but if we love each other, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us,” writes the Apostle John. If we fail to show one another our thanks, what good is a meal of thanksgiving? A truly thankful heart knows that things pale in comparison to people. We are created for relationship, not riches. Sharing a table full of food is wonderful, but it is whom we share it with that counts. This year’s Thanksgiving could be different, but only if our focus is on our fellowship, not the feast; on giving thanks, not on getting full. We must get beyond the tradition of the meal and meet each other heart-to-heart. Though many of us won’t be able to spend Thanksgiving dinner with our families, or with our best friends, all of us can still give thanks. We can each give ourselves. The question is: Will we?
Posted on: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 00:55:23 +0000
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