It is hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us once again!  What a time of great memories and wonderful times of fellowship and rest with those we love…As Christians, our celebrations of Thanksgiving and Christmas cause us to look up – to remember the Source of our blessings and the Savior Who came to be our sacrifice for sin…

The art of giving thanks is one thing that separates man from the animals, or at least it should. Ray Stedman, in his book Folk Songs of Faith, relates an experience of Dr. Harry Ironside in a crowded restaurant.  The story goes that just as Dr. Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked to join him.  Ironside invited him to have a seat.  Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer.  When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?”  Ironside replied, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.”  The man said, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat.  I just start right in!”  Ironside said, “Yes, you’re just like my dog.  That’s what he does too!”

To receive a gift and say “thank you” is one of the noblest things we can do- there is nothing small or trivial about it. To say “thank you” is to acknowledge that we have been given something we did not earn or deserve.  Happy is the man that understands that all of life is a gift from God, and that life itself is the ultimate gift, which is why the Bible says, “In everything give thanks.” (I Thess. 5:18)  When we can’t do anything else, we can be grateful! Someone has well said “If you can’t be thankful for what you have received, be thankful for what you have escaped.”

It is traditional at Thanksgiving to be asked to make a list of our blessings, and certainly we should.  Our list usually begins and ends with material blessings, which is a good thing.  However, this list does not exhaust the subject – it does not include everything for which we should be thankful.

This year, add to your list two groups of things:

1.       Things from which you have been weaned this past year. -  That is, things that through suffering and hardship God has taken away from you that have made your faith stronger and deeper.

2.       Things you used to think you couldn’t live without, but now know that you can. -  Maybe a relationship, a possession, a person, even a dream….Anything that has happened in your life which makes you say, “God has shown me I don’t have to have that in order to be happy.”

It’s wonderful to know that our loving Father always has our best interest at heart, and when we humbly  reflect on His blessings we have an even greater to desire to give Him glory during this Thanksgiving season.