Tag Archives: thanksgiving

November 26
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Thanksgiving Day

“. . . give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)

There is a small, but helpfully significant, difference between giving thanks in all circumstances; and giving thanks for all circumstances.

There are situations and circumstances for which you and I should never be thankful: War, disease, marital discord, gross economic inequality, the persistence of evil. . .  Yet, even in such circumstances, the disciple of Jesus is encouraged to be thankful — and it baffles the watching world.

In war, we know the Prince of Peace.  In sickness, we are attended by the Great Physician.  He is our Reconciler; and through your and my obedience, he feeds the poor.  Evil may, for a time, persist; but evil shall never prevail!

True thanksgiving knows no season.  – Luther

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August 27
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“Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.” (Psalm 113:1-3, NIV)

Today’s psalm reminds us that there is not a moment, nor a situation, within the day where God’s praise is out of place.

To “praise,” as we often hear in today’s vernacular, is to give “props” (which is derived from “proper respect”) to someone. When we praise the Lord, we are rendering the honor, glory, gratitude, respect, authority that He is due.

In the course of a day, we can — as Oswald Chambers often wrote — be a “practical atheist.”  We receive a blessing, but we act as if it is a random occurrence instead of a planned gift from God.  We reflect on our successes, despite obstacles and resistance from others, and we conclude that it is due to our own intelligence, persistence, and creativity.

Today, as you see the hand of God, give Him praise for His assistance.  As you see the work of God in others, give Him praise for His faithfulness.  As you see the grace of God in difficult circumstances, give Him praise for His mercy.

“Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore.”  – Luther

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May 4
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“And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, NKJV)

The word we translate as “thanks” is used more than 40 times in the New Testament. (And that does not include variants of that word, such as “thanksgiving,” and “gratitude.”)

We have so much for which to be thankful, but we are often without gratitude. I wonder whether it is because we choose to focus on the few things we lack; instead of the many things God has given us, which are already in our possession.

As a nation, one day in November is set-aside for giving thanks. As children of the living God, every day should be “Thanksgiving Day.”  – Luther

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