“For all things are for your sakes, that grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God.”
—2 Corinthians 4:15
ON DECEMBER 4, 1619, a group of 38 English settlers arrived on the north bank of the James River about 20 miles upstream from Jamestown, where the first permanent settlement of the Colony of Virginia was established on May 14, 1607. The group’s charter required that “the day of arrival be observed yearly, and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.” On that first day, Captain John Woodleaf held the service of thanksgiving and all the people knelt down and gave thanks to God for their safe arrival. This was the beginning of Thanksgiving Day.
THE WORD OF GOD teaches us many things about thanksgiving that we should seek to remember. Scripture teaches that we must always give thanks to God. Thanksgiving should not be limited to special occasions, certain days, or particular times. For the Christian, thanksgiving is every moment of everyday our entire life. We are to always give thanks without exception. “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).
SCRIPTURE ALSO TEACHES that we must give thanks for everything, not only for the pleasant things but also the unpleasant things. Job said, “Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept evil? The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.” We also read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks.” We are to be thankful always and for everything. Another thing the Word of God teaches is that at the heart of all true thanksgiving must be praise to God for His grace, mercy, and love shown to us through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:15, “Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.” Christ is the unspeakable gift to which Paul refers (John 3:16).
TRUE THANKSGIVING IS not rooted in the material things we receive from God. True thanksgiving is rooted in God who sends everything, good and bad, for the salvation of all those He has given to His Son, Jesus Christ (John 6:37). God always uses all things for the eternal, spiritual good of all those who trust in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we can and must always give thanks to God in every situation because we know that in Christ, God is working all things together for our salvation, and with this we must be content (Rom. 8:28).
IF THE DARKEST PROVIDENCE you could imagine came upon you today, would you say, “Yet, I will rejoice in the Lord, I will give thanks to the God of my salvation”? (Habakkuk 3:18). Take time today to thank God for who He is and for all He has done for you in Jesus Christ! “To God be the glory, great things he has done! So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the life-gate that all may go in.”
THANKSGIVING DAY DEVOTIONAL
Thursday, November 28, 2024
In Christ,
Pastor S. Henry
