Thoughts on Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for?

The question that will be asked around countless dinner tables a week from tomorrow.  The question that shouldn’t take much thought to answer…

The Lord’s grace…my family…my friends…my home…my amenities…my freedoms…

I’ve written about some of the things I’m thankful for here and here.  And here and here and here.  Gratitude is a beautiful thing!  I know it delights the heart of the Lord to hear His children thanking Him for the good gifts He has given; gifts we don’t deserve but gifts He gives regardless.

Ann Voskamp posed this thought:

What if the question around holiday tables wasn’t: What are you so grateful for?
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But rather: How are you changing the world because you are so grateful?

Good question, yes?

Shouldn’t we be acting out our faith and moving mountains for other people because we can’t contain our gratitude?  Shouldn’t we be tripping over ourselves looking for moments to bless and aid and assist because we’ve been so blessed and aided and assisted?  Shouldn’t we be giving so sacrificially of our time, resources and talents that we’ve nowhere to turn and no one to point to except the Lord?

Yes, let’s give upwardly!  Let’s give the Lord due praise – EVERY.SINGLE.THING we have comes from Him!  He is most worthy of our gratitude…but less us also give outwardly, in His name…

I have a friend who posted on Facebook about her morning experience. She was in the waiting room of her doctor’s office waiting to be seen when an elderly lady came in; one who was obviously sick and needed medical care.  The elderly lady didn’t have money to pay her copay so they had her reschedule her appointment to a day when she would have the funds.  My lovely friend, jumped up and paid the co-pay. 

That is Christ in action.  That is a life changing the world because of gratitude.  That is a life living out the ‘giving’ piece of ThanksGIVING…because how can we have Thanksgiving without the giving??

I pray that as you’re enjoying your family time and your turkey dinner…as you’re counting your blessings and recounting the goodness of the Lord…that the borders of your heart are expanding and that the world around you starts changing because of your gratitude.  And not changing just for this season…for good.  We are blessed to be a blessing so let’s live it…

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