BE YE THEREFORE IMITATORS OF GOD
November 22, 2023HYMNS OF HOPE – ‘Fanny’ J. Crosby
November 24, 2023Turkey and Thanksgiving go together in the West. Rest of the Christian world is not so much into celebrating Thanksgiving, and having turkey is a far-fetched dream to many. Let me quickly add, the rest of the Christian world is, very much thankful and grateful to the LORD, for His innumerable blessings, just like our brothers and sisters in the Western Church. There is no difference of opinion on this.
I understand that, being thankful and grateful to God is, the essence of celebrating Thanksgiving. The celebration is about, expressing our heartfelt gratitude, for what we have received from our Creator, even though we are absolutely undeserving. It goes without saying, that all praise, thanks and gratitude should come from the depths of our heart, and with all sincerity. If not, it is but a mere pretention; when it is a pretention, we are nothing more than pretenders and imposters. Isn’t it so?
David has some wise words for our Thanksgiving celebrations – “1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” – Psalms 103:1-2. We are exhorted to bless the LORD with all that is within us, without forgetting all that He has done for us!!!
The reasons that David wishes to thank, praise and worship YAHWEH is as follows – “3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” – Psalms 103:3-5. In simple words, all that we have and are blessed with, is a gift of God!!!
Thanksgiving is offering our turkeys to the LORD. Thanksgiving is offering our sincere and heartfelt thanks to God. Thanksgiving is to offer our time, talents and resources to the LORD. Don’t you think so?
We should quickly come to realise that, Thanksgiving is to offer ourselves to the LORD. Thanksgiving is we becoming the turkey, in eternal gratitude to God, for all that He has done for us. IS OUR THANKSGIVING TURKEY READY?
