This year’s Thanksgiving Day has come and gone. It is a great American tradition, one I look forward to every year. Thanksgiving Day is family time. It is renewing the tie that binds us together. It is being thankful for God loving us enough to send Jesus to die for us. At my house the table was set, all things were ready for us to dive in and enjoy. Before we gave thanks we went around the table giving each one an opportunity to state in a specific way that for which they were thankful. I was the last one to speak. There was much on my heart I wanted to say: God, His unending love even when I am unworthy, His blessings, my physical family, my spiritual family and on and on. I was brief with my remarks. But then I added this: I am very thankful to have lived to be 80 years old. The old hymn “Count Your Blessings” comes to mind. And me, 80 years old, yes, I count my blessings! Have you counted yours lately?
The Bible is full of exhortations to be thankful. I call your attention to the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae. In every chapter there are exhortations to be thankful. Take a look:
• We give thanks to God, the Father of our lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you (1:3).
• …giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light (1:12}.
• …having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were, instructed, and overflowing with gratitude (2:7).
• And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful (3:15).
• Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God (3:16).
• And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father (3:17).
• Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving (4:2).
I am so very grateful for our great American tradition of Thanksgiving Day. What a blessing it is to be a citizen of these United States of America. While we enjoy this season of the year, let’s be reminded that being thankful should be a part of our mindset every day of the year. Seven times in this brief letter to the Colossians Paul emphasizes being thankful. That is an indication of its importance in the life of these Christians. May it be a practice that we follow!
— Les Ferguson, Sr.
