ThanksGIVING

Thanksgiving is a time, when we as a nation, stop and express our thankfulness for all that we have. The word 'thanksgiving', the noun meaning giving of thanks, first appears in English, in 1533, in Tyndale's book, 'The Supper of the Lord'. Our English word thanksgiving is derived from thanks and giving…and basically means to give thanks.

Giving thanks and being thankful are two different things, right? We can tell someone we are thankful for him or her; and yet they can still feel un-appreciated. Why is this? I think it is because sometimes we say we are thankful, but fail to show it. After all actions speak louder than words, right?

Look at the dictionary definition of thanksgiving:

thanks·giv·ing

noun

1. The act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God.

2. An expression of thanks, especially to God.

3. A public celebration in acknowledgment of divine favor or kindness.

4. A day set apart for giving thanks to God.

Do our Thanksgiving celebrations look like events giving thanks to God, or more like parties “of” thankfulness for what we have? Just askin’, but maybe you are wondering what’s the real difference?

The difference is this: one gives thanks acknowledging God as the source of all things, and the other is being thankful for all the things we have…see the difference?

Being thankful is wonderful and polite, but giving thanks takes real effort. There is action involved in giving thanks, more than words.

Psalm 105:1 (NIV)
“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”

If you are thankful to God this year…show God you recognize Him as the source of everything, and make Him a part of everything you celebrate, and if you need to, you can use words too…

Just prayin’

Pastor Pat