Thanksgiving: A Time to Reflect on the Goodness of God

Psalm 103: 1-5 (NLT)

1 Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy Name. 2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

1 Thessalonians 5: 18 (NLT)

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

This coming week here in the United States we will be celebrating Thanksgiving. In today’s entry let’s take some time to think about the topic of thankfulness and gratitude. Mothers of Nations, we have MUCH to thank the Lord for as we count our blessings.

Briefly looking at the history of the founding of our nation, we know that because of disagreements between the English Separatists and the Dutch, they left their homes for a new land, a place to take the Gospel and start afresh with their beliefs and principles. After their voyage across the ocean, these pilgrims landed at Plymouth and build a common house as shelter. In those early days they made friends with two tribes of Native Americans that lived in that area, the Massasoit and the Wampanoag.  

The first winter was devastating, sickness hit, and over half of the Pilgrims died. Half of the Mayflower ship crew died as well and the remaining crew went back to England in the spring.

Taught by the Native Americans, the remaining settlers planted pumpkins, beans, and other seeds in the spring. They also learned to catch herring and use that as fertilizer. They hunted for deer, bear, and turkey and gathered berries and nuts.

History records that in that fall of 1621, the settlers shared a meal with their Native American friends as a way to give thanks for the faithfulness of God through their trials and hardships of the past year. Most certainly they had suffered, dealt with loss and grief, worked hard, and learned to survive. These first Pilgrims knew both joy and pain.

Years later in 1789, George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving Proclamation in the year of his inauguration.

Mothers of Nations, we don’t face the same challenges as those early settlers, but we certainly know trials and hardships. We all experience grief and loss and are also impacted by the conditions in our world today. As with the Pilgrims, we also recognize the immense importance of religious freedom.

Indeed, we have so much to be thankful for in this time of reflection on the goodness of God, the sacrifice of our Savior, and the joy of redemption.

Let’s look at God’s Word for a moment and list just a few things that we can meditate on and give thanks for today.

Salvation: 

1 Chronicles 16: 34-35 (NLT)

34 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever. 35 Cry out, “Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank Your holy Name and rejoice and praise You.”

Psalm 16: 9-11 (NLT)

9 No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice  My body rests in safety. 10 For You will not leave my soul among the dead or allow Your holy one to rot in the grave. 11 You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of Your presence and the pleasures of living with You forever.

Protection:

Psalm 91: 1-2 (NLT)

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord; He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him.

Health:

Proverbs 3: 5-10 (NLT)

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take. 7 Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil. 8 Then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then He will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.

Food:

Deuteronomy 26: 9-11 (NLT)

9 He brought us to this place and gave us this land flowing with milk and honey! 10 And now, O Lord, I have brought You the first portion of the harvest You have given me from the ground.’ Then place the produce before the Lord your God, and bow to the ground in worship before Him. 11 Afterward you may go and celebrate because of all the good things the Lord your God has given to you and your household. Remember to include the Levites and the foreigners living among you in the celebration.

Benefits:

Psalm 68: 19 (NKJV)

19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! 

Victories:

1 Corinthians 15: 57 (NKJV)

57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Deliverance:

Psalm 18: 48-49 (NKJV)

48 He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; You have delivered me from the violent man. 49 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name.

Psalm 54: 7 (NKJV)

7 For He has delivered me out of all trouble; and my eye has seen its desire upon my enemies.

Guidance from His Word:

Psalm 119: 105 (NLT)

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

As we close today, please take a moment to think about some of the ways that we can express thankfulness and gratitude to the Lord. Did you come up with any of these?

•  Sharing a meal of fellowship with family and/or friends
•  Spending time in worship
•  Testifying of His faithfulness in your life
•  Sharing the love of God with others
•  Honoring Him with holy fear
•  Departing from sin
•  Spending time in prayer
•  Living a lifestyle of gratitude

Mothers of Nations let’s take time these next several days to intentionally express our thankfulness and gratefulness to the Lord for all He has done for us. I thank God for each and every one of you!

Dr. Sharon Predovich