Why give thanks?
By Paul Bawden
According to the AAA nearly 80 million Americans will travel for Thanksgiving this year.
Certainly, thanksgiving is a wonderful time of the year to get together with family and friends. I understand, though, that the recent elections results may cause friction among some family members and friends. My encouragement is to not let an election keep family and friends from enjoying Thanksgiving together. Harmony is what the Lord wants in all relationships.
Then, we think about those in the United States whose lives have been changed by the recent hurricanes, in addition to the ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, where countless lives have been lost, destruction lingers in these worn torn areas, while the hostages are still in captivity.
In the midst of all these different happenings, for some it may be difficult to give thanks and understandably so. Perhaps some may not feel the need to give thanks. Others may meet together to celebrate Turkey Day rather than Thanksgiving Day. Still others may have a joyful Thanksgiving Day.
The question I ask in all of these different circumstances and responses is, “Why give thanks?” Life is life. If there is a God, He doesn’t care, just look at the mess In the world, and some may say look at what’s happened in their lives or in their family.
May I suggest, regardless of one’s thinking, there has to be more to life than the physical/material blessings, which are different for different people and families. Still, those blessings come and go, although I would think we would be thankful for such blessings, as well as for family and friends.
True thanksgiving, then, has to be found not in the transitory, but in that which is eternal. I realize that raises other kinds of concerns, for talking about the eternal is not popular in the public square. However, if there is not the eternal, then we are here today and gone tomorrow.
Paul in the New Testament understood that when he penned, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.” (II Cor. 9:15). Paul knew that there was more than the physical material in this life. He knew there was foremost the gift of forgiveness and eternal life provided for all believers in that indescribable gift, Jesus Christ. He knew that without the eternal work of Jesus Christ through His empty cross and open tomb, there was no lasting relationship with God, no forgiveness in human relationships, no hope in the challenges of life, nor hope beyond the grave for himself or anyone else.
That’s why, in writing to the Romans, Paul said that those who don’t honor God and give Him thanks, that is knowing Him through faith in Jesus Christ, people can float into pride thinking that they are smarter than God, which can result in thinking this life is all that there is, which can lead to all kinds of jealousy, hatred, lust, envy, and immorality, and I would add even wars – obviously a commentary on our day. I trust you have made your decision for Christ to live for Him.
Why give thanks? The eternal God has provided His eternal life and forgiveness for the believer in Jesus Christ. Certainly, He deserves our thanks first of all for His gift of eternal salvation. Since He is also the Source and Giver of our physical/material blessings, we give Him thanks for these as well.
Even in the difficult times of life for the believer, he can give thanks to God for He knows He is in control while He provides His forgiveness, care, encouragement, and hope. The believer also gives thanks to God for he knows, in spite of nations messing up the world, God in His loving sovereignty is working out His plan for all and for His glory.
Take time to count all your blessings, spiritual, physical, and material this Thanksgiving Day. Name them one by and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Give Him thanks! How about having an attitude of gratitude all year! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Paul Bawden is married and served in the pastoral ministry for 45 years, retiring in 2011. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a B.A. in Speech and attended Dallas Theological Seminary, receiving a Master of Theology. He has taken counseling courses at Trinity Evangelical Seminary in Deerfield, Illinois. Paul is a lifetime member of the Evangelical Free Church of America, as well as being a member of Interim Pastor Ministries (IPM), which serves churches during their time of transition in searching for a new pastor. He writes for Union Gospel Press, as well as being a volunteer writer for GotQuestions.org. Paul likes to write, read, bike, and work in the yard. The Bawdens have had the privilege to travel to Mexico and Romania on mission trips and visited various countries in Europe.