Real Thanksgiving
In an attempt to develop better eating habits, a family began eating “turkey franks,” “turkey ham,” “turkey bacon,” and “turkey burgers.” When Thanksgiving came, the mother made a beautiful traditional dinner with all the trimmings. As the father began to carve the bird, their ten-year-old daughter asked, “Mom, is this real turkey or ‘turkey turkey’?” Good point. There is a “turkey thanksgiving” and a “real Thanksgiving.”
Turkey thanksgiving is a national holiday that occurs once a year. On that day we give thanks for our blessings. It is done out of custom or based on circumstances. That is not all bad, but is it real thanksgiving?
Real thanksgiving is giving thanks all the time. Paul instructs us to give thanks “always” (Eph. 5:20). Giving thanks one day a year is better than never being grateful, but it is at least 364 days short.
Real thanksgiving is giving thanks in all things. Paul admonishes believers to “In everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18). Believers are to give thanks in every circumstance of life, in sickness and in health; in poverty and in wealth.
After being robbed, Matthew Henry wrote in his diary: “Let me be thankful. First, I was never robbed before. Second, although they took my purse, they didn’t take my life. Third, although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed and not I who did the robbing.”
Real thanksgiving is giving thanks for all things. Technically, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 does not say “for everything give thanks,” but “in everything.” Another passage, however, speaks of giving thanks “for all things” (Eph. 5:20). Perhaps, in can be argued that in the context of Ephesians, “all things” is a reference to “all blessings” (Eph. 1:3). At any rate, I get the impression from the Scripture that we should be thankful for more than we are. Real thanksgiving is a constant attitude of gratitude to God, realizing that all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28).
The lone survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He cried out to God to save him. Every day he scanned the horizon, searching for help. Finally, he managed to build a rough hut and put his few articles in that hut. One day, coming home from hunting for food, he was stung with grief to see his little hut in flames. Early the next day, a ship rescued him. When asked, “How did you know I was here?” They replied, “We saw your smoke signal.” When he saw that the fire work with other events for his good, he was thankful for the fire.
In the Wednesday night prayer meeting before thanksgiving a lady in the church I pastor said, “I thank God for the hard times, because they have made my heart soft.” That is the real thing.
© G. Michael Cocoris, (11/24/2001)
Turkey thanksgiving is a national holiday that occurs once a year. On that day we give thanks for our blessings. It is done out of custom or based on circumstances. That is not all bad, but is it real thanksgiving?
Real thanksgiving is giving thanks all the time. Paul instructs us to give thanks “always” (Eph. 5:20). Giving thanks one day a year is better than never being grateful, but it is at least 364 days short.
Real thanksgiving is giving thanks in all things. Paul admonishes believers to “In everything give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18). Believers are to give thanks in every circumstance of life, in sickness and in health; in poverty and in wealth.
After being robbed, Matthew Henry wrote in his diary: “Let me be thankful. First, I was never robbed before. Second, although they took my purse, they didn’t take my life. Third, although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed and not I who did the robbing.”
Real thanksgiving is giving thanks for all things. Technically, 1 Thessalonians 5:18 does not say “for everything give thanks,” but “in everything.” Another passage, however, speaks of giving thanks “for all things” (Eph. 5:20). Perhaps, in can be argued that in the context of Ephesians, “all things” is a reference to “all blessings” (Eph. 1:3). At any rate, I get the impression from the Scripture that we should be thankful for more than we are. Real thanksgiving is a constant attitude of gratitude to God, realizing that all things work together for good (Rom. 8:28).
The lone survivor of a shipwreck washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He cried out to God to save him. Every day he scanned the horizon, searching for help. Finally, he managed to build a rough hut and put his few articles in that hut. One day, coming home from hunting for food, he was stung with grief to see his little hut in flames. Early the next day, a ship rescued him. When asked, “How did you know I was here?” They replied, “We saw your smoke signal.” When he saw that the fire work with other events for his good, he was thankful for the fire.
In the Wednesday night prayer meeting before thanksgiving a lady in the church I pastor said, “I thank God for the hard times, because they have made my heart soft.” That is the real thing.
© G. Michael Cocoris, (11/24/2001)