Give Thanks This Thanksgiving

Oh give thanks to the LORD; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

1 Chronicles 16:8 ESV

There is more to living the Christian life than just trying to be good and follow the rules.

Part of who we should be in Christ is a grateful people. It is God who provides for our basic needs like air to breathe, water to drink and food to eat that keeps the body alive. We should thank God for these necessities of life every day.

It is also God who provides His people creation with a Savior. We are born into sin, and we live in a corrupt world where sin is lauded as good.

If it weren’t for Jesus who was willing to live, die and be raised from the dead to free us from sin, we’d be headed to Hell and damnation. But, Jesus did leave His glory on high to come and make a way of redemption for us. If we will believe Jesus is the Son of God and accept Him as our Savior and Lord of our lives, we will be saved out of the pit to live with God in eternity.

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).

It is also God who sent us the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49), our Comforter, our Teacher and Guide to lead us through this life. It is God’s Holy Spirit who pricks our conscience with conviction about sin and shows us the need for our salvation in Christ. Praise God with thanksgiving for His Holy Spirit.

As we thank God for His mercy and grace, we should also “make known his deeds among the people.”

We should brag about, or, remember out loud, the love of God and all that He does for us from salvation, to healing, to providing everything we need, to being our strength in times of trouble. Become a light that guides others to God in Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let Thanksgiving hold a daily place in your heart.

Guest devotion by Rev. Suzanne. Rev. Suzanne has been pastor of New Beginnings Ministry, Inc. an online church since 2000. She has been married to Larry Taylor for almost 46 years, has two children, four grandchildren and one great grandchild (soon to be two). Learn how you can become a guest writer here.