Being Thankful as a Christian on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a special holiday that celebrates the harvest and the blessings of the past year. It originated from the Pilgrims, who were devout Christians, who held a feast in 1621 to thank God for His provision and protection in their new land. The Bible also records many instances of thanksgiving, such as when the Israelites celebrated the Passover, when David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem, and when Jesus gave thanks before breaking the bread and the wine. Today, many people observe Thanksgiving by gathering with family and friends, eating a feast, watching parades and football games, and expressing their gratitude for the good things in their lives.

But as Christians, we have even more reasons to be thankful and to enjoy Thanksgiving. Here are some of the ways that being a Christian and enjoying Thanksgiving are compatible and complementary:

• Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude to God for all His blessings, as He is the source of everything we have. The Bible tells us to “enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name” (Psalm 100:4) and to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). We can thank God for His creation, His salvation, His presence, His promises, His gifts, His guidance, His protection, His provision, His healing, His peace, His joy, and His love. We can also share our personal testimonies of how God has been faithful and generous to us and our loved ones.

 

• Thanksgiving is a time to worship God with devotion, sacrifice, praise, and offering. Thanksgiving is a form of worship that honors God and acknowledges His sovereignty and goodness. The Bible says that “the one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me” (Psalm 50:23) and that “through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” (Hebrews 13:15). We can worship God on Thanksgiving by singing songs of praise, praying, reading Scripture, giving to the needy, serving others, and dedicating our lives to Him.

 

• Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ. Thanksgiving is a reminder of the ultimate gift that God gave us in His Son, who died for our sins and rose again to give us eternal life. The Bible says that “thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15) and that “for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). We can celebrate God’s grace and mercy on Thanksgiving by remembering what Jesus has done for us, by proclaiming the gospel to others, by rejoicing in our hope of glory, and by looking forward to the future feast that we will enjoy with Christ in His kingdom, as described in Revelation 19:6-9.

In conclusion, being a Christian and enjoying Thanksgiving are not only compatible, but also complementary. We have many reasons to be thankful and to celebrate God’s goodness on Thanksgiving. Let us join together in giving thanks to God and celebrating His goodness on this special day.