Jon Allen

For what are you thankful? There are so many things for which we should be thankful. And what we are thankful for is subject to each of our lives. Do we have a warm place to sleep? Be thankful. Do we have food to eat? Be thankful. Do we have a job that pays the bills? Be thankful. Do we have family and friends we can depend on? Be thankful.

When we stop for a moment and consider our lives, there is so much for which we should be thankful. Even in tough times and difficult situations, can we still be thankful for what we do have? And if so, how does that change the outlook on our lives? So many questions.

I do know that this week is a good reminder of the importance of being thankful. Whether it is for the little things in a difficult time or for the bigger things that we often take for granted as we live day-to-day. Being thankful simply changes our perspective and helps us to gain an appreciation for the good things we do have.

It is much easier to be thankful when we know the source of all we have. James 1:17 reminds us that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights who does not change like shifting shadows.” 

You see, everything we have is from a gracious, benevolent God who knows what we need, and when we ask, provides those things. The even deeper reassurance in this verse is that this God in heaven never changes. We know he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, which gives us much trust in him.

We also know that we can turn to him when things aren’t quite going our way. Even in our anxiety we can turn to him and know that he will be there for us. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present you requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”

Did you catch the “with thanksgiving” part in there? We can be thankful in advance because we know that God never changes and he is faithful. 

How do we know of his faithfulness, grace and benevolence? We know by his greatest gift given us that is the foundation of all that we may be thankful. A few weeks from now we will celebrate a glorious holiday. We will celebrate Christmas.

Christmas is a remembrance of the greatest gift our world has ever known. God sent his one and only son down from heaven to live a human life; a perfect human life. He did this so that he could take the sin of the world upon himself to the cross and pay the penalty for your sin and mine. This sin separates us from this faithful God. And then he was buried and three days later rose from the grave to give us the gift of eternal life. 

So, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in you heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved,” says Romans 10:9. We must simply believe that what Jesus did gives us right standing before God.

This is the perfect gift that came from above and makes all the cares of this world fade as we consider this gift. It is the basis of thankfulness.

So as we gather with family and friends this week, may we remember to be thankful for this grandest of gifts. May we also recognize the giver of all we have and remember him as we remember what we should be thankful for every day. 

Happy Thanksgiving all!

(Jon Allen is the associate pastor of Grace Point in Powell.)