Thankful

In Colossians 3, we see a listing of certain activities and attitudes that are marks of our relationship
with Christ:
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

We are called to allow the Word of God to be preeminent in our thinking - we are to possess a working knowledge of His principles, empowered by His Spirit.  We are also called to encourage one another, and the Bible, in verse 16, mentions music as an activity we are to use.  Worship is used by God in our lives to strengthen us, and in the corporate sense, to strengthen the body of Christ.  We are called to do all things in the name of Jesus, realizing we're representing Him, and to possess a thankful heart as we do them.

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1st Thessalonians 5 contains a passage of Scripture that can challenge us in our walk with Christ:
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray without ceasing,
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

One week from today, Americans will be celebrating a holiday that is distinctive in its invitation to practice a very Biblical principle - thanksgiving to God!   In this case, the national celebration stems from a proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 which encouraged Americans, according to the History Channel website to...

...ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

Thanksgiving was scheduled for the final Thursday in November, that was the day on which it was celebrated until 1939, when, according to the site, "Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression. Roosevelt’s plan, known derisively as Franksgiving, was met with passionate opposition, and in 1941 the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November."

A new LifeWay Research poll explores the object of Thanksgiving, as well as the things for which Americans are thankful. 63 percent of respondents say they give thanks to God on that day. 57 percent give thanks to their family. 31 percent thank friends, 8 percent thank themselves, while 4 percent thank fate.  

The summary of that survey also invoked Lincoln, saying: "Lincoln credited God for the nation’s blessings: 'They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.'"

In this representative online survey of 1,000 Americans, LifeWay researchers gave respondents 10 options to be thankful for.  The top response: family...88 percent of Americans are thankful for family.   The next one was health, at 77 percent, then personal freedom, at 72 percent, followed by friends, at 71.  Only 32 percent are thankful for wealth and 51 percent give thanks for achievement.

Those surveyed were also asked to rate what they are most thankful for.  61% say they are most thankful for family, and it's not even close.  The next response, health, garners 13%, while 9% say personal freedom.

Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, said: “The blessings that matter most are the ones money can’t buy."  McConnell also said, "Many Americans have felt discouraged about events of the past year,” adding, “But they still find a lot to be thankful for.”

Let's reflect on several principles related to this survey and its topic:

First of all, we recognize that the Bible encourages Thanksgiving.  We're told to give thanks in all circumstances.  It is God's will for us to be grateful.  That flows from a heart that adores the Lord and recognizes His blessings.  We can be thankful for who God is and for our relationship with Jesus, Who died for us so we may live.   Our willingness to be thankful and to verbalize that can result in a hopeful outlook.

We can be thankful, but we have to be careful that we are directing our gratitude in the right direction.  Thanksgiving is not merely a gushy, warm feeling, but it is a Biblical component, and our giving of thanks to God produces a greater awareness of His presence and His faithfulness. 

Finally, we can be reminded to regularly reflect on the blessings that God has released in your life.  Thanksgiving is more than a day, more than a feeling - it is a critical component of our spiritual walk.  By reflecting on how we have seen God work in our lives and the blessings that we have received, we draw closer to Him.