A Thanksgiving Reflection
"In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever." Psalm 44:8
King David, the biblical figure, was a man who fought many battles here on this earth. As the psalmist reminds us, David had learned that there was no boasting in personal successes or victories, for it was God who led him day in and day out. We see a consistent pattern in David’s life: he wanted the world to know God was with him and that God alone brought all the victory in his life. His praise and thanks to God became a part of his very being. David understood that life was nothing apart from God.
Isn’t it easy to become wrapped up in the affairs of our daily lives and be so busy that we have no idea whether we are coming or going? We’ve all been there! And then there are other moments when we simply stop and slow down long enough to experience the warm and loving presence of God. In those sacred times, we realize that there is nothing greater in our lives than knowing God.
In the United States, people will celebrate Thanksgiving this week. The holiday is a great reminder to simply be thankful for the presence of God in our lives. We would be lost without Him! The journey on which He leads us is beyond our imagination—in the good times and the hard times—as we experience serving, ministering, loving, laughing, and enjoying life at the hand of God Almighty.
Let us live a life in which we boast of God and God alone—and in which we continually give thanks to Him. Life is a special gift from a loving God, who invites us daily into a deeper relationship with Him.
This week, people will gather around tables together as families and share with one another the gifts for which they are grateful. These are wonderful traditions. There are many people and things for which we can be extremely thankful, but at the end of the day, nothing can match what it is that Christ has done for us. To Him we offer our highest praise and our deepest gratitude.
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for Your many gifts, the greatest of which is Your saving grace and Your continued presence in our lives. Amen.