Giving Thanks

And having said these things, he took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence of all. And he broke it and began to eat. Acts 27:35

This Thursday, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a national holiday that was established in our country by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863 and passed into law in 1870 by Congress. But did you know the date of the Thanksgiving holiday     was not set? It was left to the discretion of the sitting President. With few exceptions, each President until Franklin D. Roosevelt followed Lincoln’s lead by declaring the last Thursday of  November as Thanksgiving Day. President              Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to the third Thursday of November. Why? To extend the Christmas shopping season in order to help businesses still suffering from the lingering effects of the Great Depression.

As Christians, we don’t need a date set aside by the government to give thanks. But have you ever wondered why Christians give thanks at every meal? It’s because we follow the example of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Matthew recorded that before He fed the 5000, He ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up  toward heaven, He blessed the food (Matthew 14:19). He also blessed the bread that He broke  at the Last Supper (Matthew 26:26). Paul after being in the storm on a ship heading to Rome Paul encouraged those who were guarding and transporting him to take food because they had not eaten food for fourteen days. He then took bread and gave thanks to God in the presence  of all (Acts 27:33-36).

In these modern times, especially in America, there are very few who go hungry for more than a few hours. As I matter of fact, there has never been a time in my life that I have gone without food to the point I was worried about where my next meal would come from. Living in such abundance has caused many to take for granted where their food comes from. Jesus Himself taught us to ask God for our daily food. Yet when it is as easy as looking in the refrigerator or our cabinets for our      food, we can become complacent and think God has nothing to do with my “daily bread”. Giving genuine thanks at every meal reminds us where all of our blessings come from.

May you have a blessed Thanksgiving and let us never forget the greatest blessing God gave to each of us who declare His Son Lord and Savior, that is, eternal life with God forever.

Your shepherd,

Pastor Mark Wells