Biblical Call to Gratitude
” Happy Thanksgiving! ”
A Biblical Call to Gratitude.
Have a “Happy Thanksgiving!” Truly, you can, especially when you really understand the essence of Thanksgiving naturally and biblically. Though the American celebration of Thanksgiving began with the Pilgrims in 1621 as a harvest feast shared with the Indians, its true roots reach much deeper—back to the pages of Scripture. Long before Plymouth, God’s people were commanded to pause, remember, and give thanks for His goodness. The Bible’s call to thanksgiving is not seasonal; it is continual, arising from a heart that recognizes God as the source of every blessing.
In the Old Testament, thanksgiving was central to worship. The Israelites celebrated harvest feasts such as the Feast of Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33–43), where they rejoiced before the Lord for His provision in the wilderness and His bounty in the land. Psalm 100:4 invites believers, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Gratitude was not merely good manners; it was an act of worship that acknowledged God’s faithfulness and covenant love.
In the New Testament, thanksgiving is deepened through Christ. The apostle Paul exhorts, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (I Thessalonians 5:18). Here, thanksgiving is not confined to abundance or success; it extends even to trials, because God works all things for good to those who love Him (Romans 8:28). Gratitude becomes a posture of trust, and is a declaration that God’s grace is sufficient in every circumstance.
True thanksgiving begins with remembrance. The Pilgrims, after enduring hardship and loss, gathered to thank God for His providence and mercy. Likewise, believers today are called to remember God’s hand through seasons of scarcity and plenty. Psalm 107:1 declares, “O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Thanksgiving keeps the heart humble, the spirit joyful, and the mind focused on the unchanging goodness of God.
Therefore, thanksgiving should never be limited to one day or one meal. It is a continual offering of praise from the redeemed to our Redeemer. Every sunrise, every breath, every answered prayer, and even every trial is a reminder of God’s steadfast love. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
Thanksgiving, then, is not merely a holiday, but it is a holy way of life. So, as a biblical call to gratitude, have a “Happy Thanksgiving,” continually!
Flo Shaw
Director
World Network of Prayer
( Information from: Prayer Connect Newsletter – World Network of Prayer – floshaw@wnop-upci.ccsend.com )
