Thanksgiving Begins with God

“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth… Give thanks to God, bless his name. For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”

The Bible is filled with beautiful verses about thanksgiving, and many of them, such as these lines from Psalm 100, express our joyous expectations as we prepare our Thanksgiving celebrations.

But it is the final passage from the prophet Habakkuk that touches my heart the deepest: “Though the fig tree does not blossom, and no fruit is on the vines; though the produce of the olive fails, and the fields yield no food; though the flock is cut off from the fold, and there is no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation.” Rather than a litany of all God’s goodness to us, the prophet has painted a rather bleak picture, and yet, there is a profession of hope and confidence: "I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation." Thanksgiving begins not with our successes, nor even with ourselves; Thanksgiving begins with God.

We are thankful not only for God’s constancy and providence, but we are most thankful for the redeeming love of God, who always offers us the chance to begin anew. We give thanks, not simply for our wellbeing, but out of trust that God shall be with us even when time itself shall be no more.



May you and your loved ones be blessed as you celebrate thanks-giving, and may your life radiate the kind of “thanks-living” that touches the lives of others.

Originaly Published (Thursday, November 24, 2022) on 105.3 WSGC: https://myemail.constantcontact.com/Today-s-Headlines---Thursday--November-24--2022.html?soid=1134800532510&aid=x0DGJjwtxdI