Give Thanks
George Washington, one man of position, power and authority, in his first year of Presidency declared this day as National Thanksgiving. Much has been lost through the years, but as of yet, the day of Thanksgiving to our God has not been stripped away.
Prayer has been removed from public arenas, but what the removers have no understanding of is that prayer can never truly be removed. It rises in our hearts and is declared with even a whisper. A whispered prayer to our God is no less powerful than spoken publicly.
The Ten Commandments are no longer allowed to be posted on our walls, but what they don’t know is we live with His commandment etched on the wall of our hearts. That greatest commandment that Jesus Christ nailed to the walls of our hearts cannot be removed by a mere court decision.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it. Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
What God set in motion through George Washington continues to be a powerful truth we need to re-embrace. It is a blessing within itself that we still have a national holiday to give thanks to Almighty God.
Enjoy an excerpt from George Washington’s declaration in 1789:
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection, and favors…. Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks for his kind care and protection of the People of this country…and for all the great and various favors which he has been pleased to confer upon us.”
Did you hear it?
Go ahead and break out into thanksgiving. The eternal God who is, was and will be deserves our highest praise and thanksgiving of all the good that was, that is, or that will be. You don’t have to wait for the guests to arrive or for the timer to pop out of Tom Turkey. Begin your counting now. One by one name them.
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” Psalm 103:1-2
And yes even the hard things that have come our way. Will we be so bold to give thanks for the hard, breaking, shocking and disappointing things?
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who
belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
Will we thank Him for what went wrong, trusting that He is faithful?
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful?” Hebrews 10:23
Will we thank Him who calls things that are not as though they were? Instead of being sorrowful over what is not, what if we make it a day to turn it all around in our hearts and call it blessed, healed, delivered, set free, forgiven, reconciled?
“…the God who gives life to the dead and calls things
that are not as though they were.” Romans 4:17
How about thanking Him for the simple and ordinary things that we miss every day?
As I turn my heart to thanksgiving, a miracle takes place within! I have to say that I agree with Ann Voscamp, author of “One Thousand Gifts”. The miracle does precede the thanksgiving. The bad attitude softens. The frustrating task becomes a blessing. The irritating sound reminds me of hearing ears. I begin to see people’s faces as His creation. I feel the breeze, hear the crunch of leaves, smell the smoke, sense His presence and cherish the tear. All things are changed through thanksgiving.
May you have a miracle in your heart this Thanksgiving as you give thanks to our great God.