Thanksgiving - More Than A Holiday

Richard Thetford

This coming Thursday the nation will celebrate together a time of "Thanksgiving" for this country that we live in. The word "thanksgiving" is mentioned several times in the New Testament. We would not get a chance to celebrate the upcoming "Thanksgiving" holiday if God had not created earth and man to begin with. Paul writes to the Corinthians and says "you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God" (1 Cor 9:11). Paul was stressing to the Corinthians that the true reason why wealth was bestowed was not for self gratification but in such a way as to cause thanksgiving to God. Yes, we should always want to have a spirit of thankfulness in our hearts to our God. We are told in Philippians that we are to be "anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (phil 4:6). We are also told to have "...an attitude of thanksgiving;" (Col 4:2). The true attitude of thanksgiving is an attitude from our heart that says "I am truly thankful to God for everything that He has given me to enjoy and use while on this earth". Yes, "Thanksgiving" is more than just a holiday, it's an attitude. An attitude Christians should always have on their heart year round realizing that all one has is from God, and as a result, is truly thankful!