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During this holiday season set aside for family and reflection I find myself asking what are we really thankful for? Is it the big old turkey that will be sitting on the dinner table (With all the trimmings and extra goodies of course)? Is the fact that you are getting a day off from work? Is it the traditional football games that you get to watch? Or is it even time with friends and family?You may have said all of the above ois we all should have been most grateful for Jesus and yet he passes relatively few of our minds r none of the above, or even a few in between. But the truth this thanksgiving season.
Let me ask you a question. How is your thankfulness? Do you find yourself usually in a thankful mood or is your mood usually unthankful? If you are a usually thankful then that of of course is good. But if not a good question to ask yourself is why? What is going on in your life that bothers you and makes you feel unthankful? What exactly are you unthankful for? Write these things down on a piece of paper in columns. Then take inventory of what is in your life that makes you thankful and what you are thankful for and write that down. Compare your lists and really think about them for a while. If your list of things to be unthankful for is long and your list of things to be thankful for is short, then try to really examine the list and see if you can't find some good in at least one of the things you aren't thankful for. For example maybe you have a boss you aren't fond of. You can be thankful for the fact that in this poor economy you have a job and give thanks that you even have a boss in the first place, since working will ultimately translate to a much needed check. Or have you considered the fact that maybe this boss is suffering somthing in his or her life and just needs someone to minister to them? Pray about it and see if you are the one to minister to this boss. Give thanks that you can be a witness at this company. There is just so much to be thankful for even in these tough times. Even in the toughest and worst circumstances you can always to be thankful for something. Your salvation and the knowledge that heaven will be your home if you continue in him. If you really pray about it and seek God's face you will find that there isn't as much in your life to be unthankful for as you originally thought. In Him there is always something that stirs an ability to give thanks. The world is unthankful and their mindset reflects the fact that they don't have the mind of Christ and can't see what we as Christians see, but Christians should always be seen as giving God the glory and show Jesus to the unthankful world that desperately needs him. We never have any excuse to be unthankful with all that the Lord has done for us. And oh what he has done.
God created this world and everything that exists. (Col 1:16-17) He brought ten powerful plagues on Egypt (Exod. 7:14-11:10) for the purpose of setting millions of Israelite captives free. (Exod. 13:17-18) He helped the Israelites fight and win many battles, one even where the sun stood still. (Josh. 10:12-14) He made it possible for David to defeat the giant Goliath (1 Sam 17) and raised up many prophets who prophesied destruction of the wicked and the salvation of the righteous. He established his word through inspired writers and this word is the very word that he declared would never pass away (Matt 24:35) and that he magnifies above his very name. (Psalm 138:2) And if that wasn't enough he prophesied from the very beginning in the garden of Eden that one would arise that would destroy Satan (Gen 3:15) and fufilled this and many other prophecies in Jesus. He sent his only begotten son from the glories of Heaven to this wicked, sin filled world to be born of a virgin in a manager. (Matt 1:23, Luke 2:12)Even as a youth Jesus was capable of showing that he was well on his way to greatness. (Luke 2:40-52) He was baptized by John the Baptist and the Holy Spirit appeared in the shape of a dove and a voice spoke from heaven to confirm that he was the son in whom God was well pleased. (Luke 3:21-22) He started his ministry at age 30 (Matt 4:12-17), calling disciples, (Mark 1:16-20) preaching and teaching, (Matt 5-7) performing miracles, (John 2:1-10) healing the sick (Mark 5:35-43) and raising the dead. (John 11:1-44) However since the evil religious leaders hated him and his teachings (John 11:53) the had him put to trial with phony witnesses, (Matt 26:57-68) beaten (Mark 15-15-23) and crucified. (Luke 23:26-49) During his crucifixion he shed his pure blood that washes away our sins and sets us free. He rose from the dead three days later (John 20:1-10) and sent his disciples into the world to lead others to salvation. (Matt 28:18-20) He sent the Holy Ghost from heaven to baptize men and endue them with the power the needed to be effective. (Acts 1:8, 2:1-4) Some day he will return to this world as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Rev 19:11-21)All that being said let's focus less on ourselves and more on Jesus, not just this season but every season. Lets all make a greater commitment to being thankful not just for him and his sacrifice on the cross, but the small things as well. The extra change someone dropped in the meter for you, maybe a dollar that you found, not catching a cold, a hug from a loved one, etc. Remember the more grateful we are for the small things the more grateful we are able to be for the big things. Then the more we can put into persepective the fact that every good and perfect gift comes from above and the more we can focus on just how great God is. He is the God that said not one sparrow falls to ground without him knowing it and if he values that sparrow that way, how much more does he value us? He is the God that numbers every hair of our heads. He also knows all of our steps, our comings and goings. He is the God that loves us so much that he sacrificed his only begotten son in our place and wants us to be forever in eternity with him. If a God that good isn't worthy of our daily thankfulness, then who is? No one! Think really hard about every good thing you have ever received no matter how seemingly small and keep in mind you likely can't remember all of them. Jesus was responsible. The well wishes from a neighbor, the blessings of family, the kindness of friends. Or maybe it was a new home. Or maybe a new raise or promotion. Think about all the the times Jesus protected you and especially when it was from something fatal. The car accident that you missed by minutes, the mugger who never crosses your path or the test results that come back normal when they could have been any deadly disease. Jesus did it all.
Also please never forget that no matter how life seems there is always something to be thankful for. No matter what life could ever throw at you you've always got someone to be thankful and that someone is Jesus. Jesus could have allowed you not to exist, but in all of his greatness and majesty he set aside the time, care and thought to create you who is fearfully and wonderfully made (Ps 139:14) and in his image (Gen 1:25-26). Within us is a soul that will exist eternally and if you are saved will live forever in paradise with him in spite of ourselves. (1 Pet 4:18) That one fact alone is enough to thank him for all eternity. So reflect again on your life in light of this writing and as you sit at the table to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner think on being 100% thankful and grateful for the one who makes everyday special. Jesus! (Psalm 107:1)
The origin of Thanksgiving
http://www.christiananswers.net/q-wall/wal-g007.html
http://www.thanksgiving-day.org/origin-thanksgiving-day.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_%28United_States%29
