Thanksgiving is a cherished American holiday. Yet the concept of giving thanks has been around since long before the United States even existed.

One major implication of Thanksgiving is that there is Someone to whom we are giving thanks. I wonder how many families sit around a beautifully prepared turkey dinner every fourth Thursday in November without being mindful of the One we should be thankful to.

There is a troubling secularism that prevails against many of our holidays. Even though days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter are observed by a culture that has preserved them, there original significance is often unacknowledged.

Is Thanksgiving day really about turkey, pumpkin pie, and just getting ahead on our Christmas shopping? Is its significance rooted in things that will perish, like food and gifts? Or, is it rooted in the reality of One who is not perishable?

Thanksgiving (both the holiday and the very concept) makes no sense if there is no one to whom we are giving thanks. In other words, it’s about God and His continual love and care in our lives.

There are many things to be thankful for that could be named. I am thankful for my health, my family, and my country. I am thankful that, years ago, God reached into my life and showed me a better path. I may not have been around to celebrate this Thanksgiving had He not intervened on my behalf. I am thankful for the love of my wife and the son we had the privilege of raising together.

Things like these are rooted in God. It is rooted in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf. God has allowed us to be healthy enough to live until this very day. God has allowed many of us to experience the blessing of family. He has allowed us to live in a country with an unprecedented level of freedom and quality of life. As disciples of Jesus we are saved and forgiven of our sins.

I am personally thankful for the many witnesses God brought into my life until I finally heard, understood, and turned to Christ in faith. My wife and son are also blessings from His hand. I hope, pray, and strive that I can be a similar blessing to them.

It is easy to dwell on the things we may lack. If we concentrate, however, every one of us can find some things to be thankful for. If you need a place to start, here’s some thoughts based on Psalm 100.

We can be thankful that Yahweh is God (Psalm 100:3). We are instructed to know that He is God. This passage does not call us to be thankful to a God of our own imagination. It calls for an acknowledgment that the God of the Bible is the rightful and true object of our worship. Such a viewpoint is often considered narrow-minded in our world today. Yet, it’s amazing how such a view orders our lives so well.

We can be thankful that God created us (Psalm 100:3). We are not an accidental product of nature. We were created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). As a result, every human has inherent worth and dignity. Everyone matters to God.

We can be thankful that God is our shepherd (Psalm 100:3). He is interested in caring for us. True that many reject His care, but isn’t it marvelous that there is a God who is willing to tend to our needs? His wonderful leading and guidance are best experienced over time. Talk to someone who has been a committed Christian for a few decades. He or she will tell you how God has been faithful to lead even when it was hard to move forward.

We can be thankful that God is good (Psalm 100:5). So many in our culture have lost or missed the fact of God’s goodness. In other words, they don’t realize that He is truly good. God is not the bad guy in this mess that we call life. He is the One who will help us through it. He is the living definition of what goodness really is. Nowhere has this been better demonstrated than through the life of Jesus.

We can be thankful that God offers continual grace (Psalm 100:5). It is not only God’s kindness we are grateful for. It is His commitment to be kind as well. His kindness is long-term. So many of us can tell stories of a stubborn past. There was a time when we stiff-armed God and anything having to do with Him. Somehow, we could never push Him away completely. He came back, offering, once again, His forgiveness and grace. For those who reject Him to the end, their destiny will not be His fault. He is available and willing to show them a better way.

We can be thankful that God doesn’t give up on us (Psalm 100:5). He is faithful from generation to generation. In the realm of people and the material world, one thing we can count on is change. We can never get too comfortable with any pattern of life we enter into. It will change with enough time.

One thing that doesn’t change is the nature and purpose of God. Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” When I had given up on God, I discovered that His resolve is much stronger than my own. He was patient with me, allowing me to finally discern His gracious intention for my life.

So, this Thanksgiving, let’s remember Who we are supposed to be thanking. It’s not a turkey or a pie. It’s not a football game. It’s not a Friday shopping frenzy. Take some time to pause in prayer and list some things you can be thankful for in your life. Thank God directly. He loves to hear from you.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor George