The turkey, stuffing, and pie were all eaten, and the coffee and cider drank. Many people probably shared at least one thing they were thankful for this holiday as they celebrated with friends and family. Afterward, games were played, naps were taken, and football was watched. As lovely as these things are, and we all look forward to them every fourth Thursday in November, they are not the reason for the holiday. The original Thanksgiving celebration was rooted in genuine gratitude for what the Lord had done for those weary but grateful Pilgrims. I hope we can root our lives in a spirit of thanksgiving, the same way as those early settlers who primarily came to this country looking to worship God.
During November, Pastor Will has been leading us through 4 major reasons that the Lord has given us to be thankful.
The Psalmist writes, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.”
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.”
Enter his gates with thanksgiving. The route into God’s presence, his throne room, is by thanksgiving. Being thankful and humble is the key to getting favor with the King.
We learned that the Lord is good. Many of us need to be reminded of this simple but profound truth. His mercy is everlasting. Praise God He doesn’t treat you as you deserve. He is the faithful God! You can count on Him to come through for you.
We learned that the Lord is good. Many of us need to be reminded of this simple but profound truth. His mercy is everlasting. Praise God He doesn’t treat you as you deserve. He is the faithful God! You can count on Him to come through for you.
I’m thankful for a church that preaches the Word. Just this week, I received some sad news that discouraged me; yes, even as a Pastor and missionary, I still get discouraged. I was feeling low, and the Holy Spirit reminded me of the message Pastor Will preached, and I began to meditate on the fact that “For the Lord is good.” I would think about that and speak it out loud to myself, even as I was at work and feasted on that bread of life. As the day went on, I began to feel better; I felt encouraged and trusted in God to take care of the situation. I didn’t dwell on the facts; I focused on the truth that God is good. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
As you finish out this year of 2023, take time to be grateful and thank God for all the promises that He has made and for all His promises that He will continue to do for you.
Stop right now and write down four reasons to be thankful unto the Lord.