For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. (1 Timothy 4:4-5)

Thanksgiving And Prayer

The greatest act of thanksgiving is the gesture of thanks. To be thankful without expressing thanksgiving is not a complete appreciation for what has been given. The irony of human wisdom is everything man has is given to him by God. There is nothing that a man can do that does not proceed from the throne of God. A man can plant a seed, but the Creator makes the increase and bounty of the crop. Technology has changed the face of food production, but God provides the abundance at the end of the day.

There is nothing in the world that is not governed by the will of the Father. Pundits declare the warning of global warming and yet the Lord God has said there will always be regular seasons. Human achievement will never change the divine plan of God. The nature of thanksgiving is realizing that life comes from the hand of the Lord and without God, life does not exist. Seasons come and go by the will of God. The sun and moon rule the sky because God said so. Clothing, food, stuff, health and life derive their existence from the hand of the One who made the heavens and the earth. Thanksgiving is not complete until man realizes from whence his blessings come and then tells God, “Thank you.”

Prayer is thanksgiving because the heart tells the Lord, “Thank you.” God wants to hear the voice of His creation tell Him he knows where his blessings come. Food is sanctified by prayer because the heart knows that there would be nothing to enjoy in life without the mercy of God. Thanksgiving is a holiday named for thanksgiving but to do so without the word of God and prayer is to lose the eternal meaning of life. God created man and breathed into him the breath of life. The bounty of food and worldly possessions comes from the hand of God. Man would have nothing if the Lord were not the provider of all things. Thanksgiving recognizes that everything comes from the hand of God and through prayer, the soul tells God, “Thank you.”

If the Lord allows the universe to continue after Thanksgiving, the need to see the hand of God in life remains. He is the One who holds the world together by His voice. The word of God created the world and the word of God sustains all life. Prayer is telling God thank you for His infinite mercy, kindness, grace, and love for allowing everything in life to continue. The day comes from the will of God and every morsel of food consumed on Thanksgiving is possible because of the blessings of the Lord God Almighty. There should be a spirit of thanksgiving but the reality is that Thanksgiving feasts will end and life continues. The greatest lesson to learn about thanksgiving is not about the food that perishes but the manna from heaven that will never perish. A more excellent feast of sacrifice was given two thousand years ago when the Son of God died for the sins of humanity so the redeemed can dine at the table of the Lord in eternity. The greatest thanksgiving can only be found in Jesus Christ. Now that is something to pray about. Thank you, Father. Thank you.