Thanksgiving: It’s More Than a Holiday

​“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”  Psalm 136:1

Thanksgiving is a great holiday to remind us of how we should consistently think and live everyday. The cares, responsibilities, and challenges that we face compete for our contentment, our gratitude, our humbleness, and our worship to the Lord. If we choose to focus on anything but the Lord, our thankful heart becomes more and more of a thankless heart and we then give our circumstances our undivided attention with very little regard for the greatness of our amazing God.
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Psalm 136:1 doesn’t suggest for us to give thanks to the Lord, it commands us to give thanks to the Lord. A thankful heart is one that offers praise, gratitude, admiration, and appreciation to the Lord. The passage tells us why…because He is good! His mercy endures forever. The Lord deserves and is worthy of praise. His lovingkindness never ends. In all His perfection, He loves His imperfect children. Nothing can separate us from His love. His love endures forever and has no end. We cannot measure the greatness of His love for us and no other love compares to His love. He is the great I AM, which is everything that anyone will ever need. He is all-sufficient and He cares and loves deeply and infinitely.

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, think about who the Lord is and then think of how good He has been to you. Think of His steadfast love towards you and how His love has no end. When the Lord wakes you each morning, tell Him thank you. Thank Him that He is in total control over ALL things and nothing happens unless He allows it and whatever happens He will work it out for His glory and for your good. Thank Him for His wisdom and His guidance. Thank Him for keeping you and your loved ones safe. Thank Him for hearing you when you pray. Thank Him for answered prayers. Thank Him for providing all that you need. Thank Him for His strength, which is perfect. Thank Him for His comfort and His perfect peace that surpasses all understanding. Thank Him because He promised to never leave you nor forsake you. Thank Him for allowing Christ to come and sacrifice His life, die for your sins, as well as forgive your sins so that you can spend an eternity with Him. Thank Him for preparing an eternal home for you.
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When you intentionally think and consistently meditate on the goodness and mercies of God rather than the cares of this world, you realize that our attitudes should be attitudes that are filled with thankfulness and gratitude to the Lord everyday, for He is good! As you choose to be thankful, remember giving thanks requires an intentional action that has to become a way of life, so much so that it is a lifestyle because it is what you choose to do and choose to do often. Don’t allow Thanksgiving to only be a holiday that comes once a year. Make thanksgiving a lifestyle of one who chooses to be thankful throughout the day everyday. On this Thanksgiving and everyday, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever! Happy Thanksgiving!