Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. (Colossians 4:2)

Have A Spirit Of Thanksgiving

“For three things I thank God every day of my life: thanks that he has vouchsafed me knowledge of His works; deep thanks that He has set in my darkness the lamp of faith; deep, deepest thanks that I have another life to look forward to – a life joyous with light and flowers and heavenly song.” (Helen Keller, Story of My Life, 1905).

Helen Keller was an American author, disability rights advocate, political activist, and lecturer. What makes the story of Helen Keller powerful is she lost her sight and her hearing when she was 19 months old. Living to the age of 87, Keller accomplished an amazing list of accomplishments, including a Bachelor of Arts degree, and authored fourteen books. Keller had every excuse to be angry about life, but she reflected a spirit of thanksgiving in a remarkable way.

Thanksgiving was established as a holiday when Abraham Lincoln set aside the celebration to encourage national unity during the American Civil War. President John F. Kennedy formalized the day of Thanksgiving in 1963. The fourth Thursday of November has become one of the most popular holidays of the season and often the least appreciated. The spirit of Thanksgiving is recognizing where the gifts of life come from. Helen Keller, unable to see and hear, could understand the need to have a thankful heart for the simple things of life. Most with eyesight and hearing take for granted the blessings of God.

Man was created in the image of God to glorify his Creator. It was not man that created God. The sun rises each day because God established the law on the fourth day of creation. Life is a gift received from God. Whatever measure of life that a person has is a gift. In return, God wants a thankful heart, recognizing that everything comes from Him and that without Him, there is no life. This is especially true when it comes to knowing God created man as an eternal creature. It is important to thank God for the things of this world. A greater gift is found in Jesus Christ, which involves the promise of life after death.

Thanksgiving as a holiday comes once a year, but thanksgiving as a way of life is a daily experience. The bounty of food will not last. Thanksgiving is a time of great feasting, and then the day passes. A man’s relationship with God is an eternal decision with eternal consequences. To be thankful for the gift of God is a daily walk recognizing all that God has done. The early church showed their thanksgiving every first day of the week when they gathered as God’s thankful people to express thanksgiving in their worship. Jesus Christ came to earth to show the love of God. A grateful heart will return that love with a spirit of thanksgiving every day. A true thanksgiving awakens every dawn with a prayer of humility of how great the gift God has been given to us to know Him and to worship Him.