Thanksgiving Meal

It may only happen once a year but we can somehow remember most of them. We remember the meal, the people, the desserts (especially the desserts), the decorations, the time of day, even the Detroit and Dallas football games. Recently Ruth Ellen and I found a picture of our first Thanksgiving meal in Chattanooga (we were married in August, 1976). We could clearly remember the meal! Even me! (Sadly, we had no tv to watch football.)

Thanksgiving is a man-made holiday (unlike God’s events at Christmas and Easter), but every Christian needs to turn the 24-hour day of Thanksgiving into the continual spirit of thanksgiving and make thanksgiving an everyday event.

It is important that all men pause to give thanks that “things are as well with us as they are.” Are things the best they could be? No. Could things be worse? You bet’ cha! Indeed, things are worse for more people than we can count.

We have seen the painting of the old man bowing his head at the dinner table and giving thanks for a loaf of bread…his entire meal! All of us have much more to be thankful for! Never forget that though you may have earned what you have, that, at the same time, God’s grace provided you the means to earn it. Don’t be like the fool (Luke 12) who said, “Look what I have done!” and was thankful for HIMSELF! Instead, recognize and appreciate that your God deserves to be called “the God of all grace.” He is exactly that! “He giveth and giveth and giveth again!” And you and I “taketh and taketh and taketh again”…often without ever thanking Him from Whom all blessings flow.

How often do you celebrate Thanksgiving? That’s not really the key question. Perhaps we should change the question and ask, “How often do you live in the spirit of thanksgiving?” It’s not so much a celebration as it is an attitude…a spirit that recognizes our God is the source of what we have, even our minds, health, housing, food, family, and, well, you name it.

May you live in that recognition every day…every moment.

Tom Swartzwelder

Sep 4, 2024 – On September 3, 2024, Tom Swartzwelder completed the race that God had set before him. He is now with Jesus, the author and finisher of his faith.’

 Hebrews 12:1-2A

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles

 He provides practical how-to-do-ministry resources for the disciples of Jesus Christ at http://www.godsgreenhouse.net. Tom’s latest book is “God Speaks–Today!”