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Are you still giving thanks?
Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day. It’s a national holiday that was recommended by George Washington in 1789, instituted by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, and made into law by Congress in 1941. The story that the “first Thanksgiving” was observed by the Puritans in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1623 is partly based on William Bradford’s description in Of Plimoth Plantation of the people’s wish to praise God for his goodness in giving them an abundant harvest after they humbled themselves before Him in response to a long drought:
For which mercie (in time conveniente) they also sett aparte a day of thanksgiveing. *
Thanksgiving is not a new idea.
The concept of thanksgiving goes back even farther in history. The Apostle Paul exhorted his mentee, Timothy:
first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and givings of thanks be made for all men… 1 Timothy 2:1 **
Before Paul, Jesus expressed thanks to God His Father multiple times (Matthew 11:25, 15:36, and 26:26 are just three examples).
More than a thousand years before Jesus, David wrote about giving thanks to God in 41 different Psalms (this assumes David wrote all those psalms, and that my count is correct).
Over 400 years before David, God prescribed that the Israelites sacrifice thank offerings as part of the peace offering laws in Leviticus 1:.
The flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning. Leviticus 17:15
Thanksgiving is a daily walk.
An interesting aspect of the thanksgiving peace offering is that it had to be eaten on the same day. Like the manna the Israelites collected in the wilderness, thank offerings were to be consumed on the same day. Other peace offerings could be eaten on succeeding days (a lesson about lasting peace for another blog), but the thank offering could not be left uneaten overnight. Imagine not allowing leftovers from our Thanksgiving feasts.
Our thankfulness to God must be expressed daily. Paul told the Thessalonians that consistent gratitude is God’s will for us:
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Thanksgiving glorifies God.
In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthian church, he exhorts them to prepare their alms for the Jerusalem church, which he later carries with him (Acts 24:17). Then he explains how that gift was going to glorify God through thanksgiving.
Now may he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, supply and multiply your seed for sowing, and increase the fruits of your righteousness, you being enriched in everything to all generosity, which produces thanksgiving to God through us. For this service of giving that you perform not only makes up for lack among the saints, but abounds also through much giving of thanks to God, seeing that through the proof given by this service, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the Good News of Christ and for the generosity of your contribution to them and to all, while they themselves also, with supplication on your behalf, yearn for you by reason of the exceeding grace of God in you. Now thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:10-15
Here’s my synopsis of Paul’s lesson: When you are generous with all the things God supplies, others thank God for your giving, glorifying God for your obedience and generosity, and they lovingly pray for you. This mutual blessing is God’s gift, which we cannot express, and for which we are thankful.
Thanksgiving in all we do.
The habit of thanksgiving should affect everything we do. Think about your most disliked tasks… what if you expressed thanksgiving for them? Jesus told us to rejoice when we are persecuted(Matthew 5:11-12, Luke 6:22-23). James said our trials are a source of joy (James 1:2-4). Paul celebrated his infirmities because God’s grace was sufficient (2Corinthians 12:9-10). Can we be thankful for everything, every day?
Whatever you do, in word or in deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father, through him. Colossians 3:17
So, as we move from Thanksgiving through the Christmas holiday season and into next year, remember to keep giving thanks, no matter what day it is. May God bless your “thanksgiveing“.
By His calling, in His strength,
Dean
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*Bradford, William, Of Plimoth Plantation. Boston: Wright and Potter Printing, 1898, footnote AZ, accessed from: Bradford, William, Of Plimoth Plantation. Boston: Wright and Potter Printing, 1898, footnote AZ – http://www.gutenberg.org/files/24950/24950-h/24950-h.htm#Footnote_AZ_52, 11/25/2020, 11/25/2020
*All Scripture quotations in this article are from the World English Bible (WEB).
