VOTD Family,
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It is perhaps the last ‘pure’ American holiday. It doesn’t ever seem to be in danger of commercialization or exploitation though it is increasingly being encroached upon. This year I actually saw my first Christmas -umm excuse me “holiday” TV ad on Halloween, I heard the first Christmas song that same week, and it wasn’t long after when the holiday decorations began to go up!
What I love – and what “the world” cannot effectively kill is Thanksgiving’s family and fellowship-centric theme – it seems to foster this better than any other American holiday in my opinion. But even better than that is Thanksgiving’s strong theme of thankfulness – in particular thankfulness for what God provides and accomplishes in our lives.
And yes, we are thankful looking back, but also consider that as we look forward there is much to be thankful for – even looking forward a mere 29 days… obscured in a snow slide of commerce, Santa, wishful secular thinking, and other holidays that have been forced into the slavery of competition is the celebration of the greatest thing a human can be thankful for:
Paul told us that “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
John told us that “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (”payer of the price”) for our sins.” (1st John 4:9-10).
God loves us and has saved us.
And so for this reason and reason of His continued help and presence in our lives I’d like to offer a few Thanksgiving verses. Meditate on them. Recite them as you celebrate. There are many more – let this motivate you to seek them out!
May the blessing of thankfulness be upon you all!
Pastor George Hillman
~
“…in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
~
Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD! Psalm 105:1-3
~
It is good to give thanks to the LORD,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night… PSALM 92:1-2
~
And of course the official verse for Thanksgiving:
“…And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, offer it of your own free will.
On the same day it shall be eaten; you shall leave none of it until morning…” Leviticus 22:29-30
This basically means don’t say “no thank you” to anything and don’t leave any leftovers! Its a commandment! 
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Put VOTD on your web site!
http://votd.org/promotevotd.php
Invite someone to join!
Donate
Unless otherwise noted all scriptures are
from the New King James Version
Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved.
