Originally from a left hand page, 11-1984: [edited]
Offer Unto God Thanksgiving...
All of us look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving Day. Stuffed Turkeys means overstuffed stomachs, delicious dressing and mash potatoes means hungry stomachs while the never ending football battles provide entertainment for most, if not for all. However, Thanksgiving is not so much for food, football, and festivities, but for celebrating and rejoicing in what God has done for us.
Beginning with our pilgrims heritage, Thanksgiving has been a time of celebration over the fruits of first harvest. The nation of Israel also commemorated the festival of first fruits. Even then, the prayer of Israel acknowledged the Lord's provision for them by offering to the Lord what they reaped in the early spring months.
So we, in this body, have offered food baskets to the Lord to distribute them to those who can really use them [reference to food baskets sent out by the church at that time]. But also we offer Thanksgiving to the Lord for the new points of glory He is working in you and me: new points of richness He is pouring out on His church, and new points of life He is giving those who never knew Him before.
If you have difficulty in thinking of things of richness to be thankful for, may I suggest learning to be thankful for "little things", things that would normally go unnoticed. May I suggest a few simple possibilities:
Thank God for Spiritual Blessings
1. I am born again
2. I am filled with the Holy Spirit
3. I am being transformed into His image
Thank God for Other People1. A loving and caring friend
2. A forgotten but valuable brother or sister in Christ
3. An often taken for granted family member
4. A fellow worker you are around all the time
Thank God for Physical and Material Blessings
1. You fill in the blanks from your own life!
The list goes on and on... but you can finish it. Have a happy "Thanksgiving" day.
Pastor Ron Mehl