Focal passage: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22
What comes to your mind when you think about Thanksgiving? Do you have a favorite food, after dinner napping spot or television special? One of my most treasured family traditions has always been our family blessing. Long before I was born, my great-grandfather wrote a prayer that we still recite each year. In the prayer, he wrote, “We thank Thee for this food and for every token of Thy love. Give us grateful hearts for all Thy benefits and feed our souls on the Bread of Life.” And so, before we chow down on our turkey and dressing, we take time as a family to thank God for His gifts.
It seems easy or natural in this current season to thank God for His goodness, doesn’t it? And yet, scripture reminds us that thankfulness is not merely a November activity. As Paul wrote in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are to “give thanks in everything.”
Giving thanks in everything can sometimes seem a bit overwhelming. Everything means, well, everything. How can we possibly thank God for all of it? I must admit that I’m much more experienced at thanking God for my food than I am for thanking Him for the spiritual leaders in my life, for the gift of His Word or for the blessing of my local church. Perhaps it’s more about living each day with an attitude of gratefulness.