Giving Thanks

I thought I would issue a "special edition" blog post this morning, just because it's Thanksgiving and I am feeling especially thankful today. And so should YOU be. :)

When one thinks of Thanksgiving thoughts usually turn to turkey, stuffing, football and pumpkin pie. Those are traditional Thanksgiving things in our lives. What is NOT so traditional, especially in today's world, is giving thanks to the one who provided them all . . except for football. Sorry Packers fans.

Now I know what you're thinking. "We pray on Thanksgiving and every other day." Believe me, that is good. However I am talking to the occasional prayers, the ones like I used to be. I tended to offer up prayers on Thanksgiving. I was willing to participate in a Thanksgiving prayer. And that is a good thing . . . if it is truthfully a proper prayer.

Too often, I think, we focus on the things in our lives that we are thankful for without really thinking about what we are praying. I think that many of us, just like I did, do not pray properly.

Instead of thanking God for good health, for example, what if we extended that prayer . . . and make it about God, not ourselves.

"Heavenly Father, today I thank you for my health, the ability to breathe the YOU gave us. I thank you for it because you have given me strength to do your will in this world. You chose to give me life, so that I might have life to the fullest through your Son, Jesus Christ. I thank you for me good health so that I may serve you and others with this body for as long as I might live."

A prayer of Thanksgiving should ALWAYS be about God, not about ourselves.

Here's a brief little story by one of my favorite pastors. It points to how we often think of things on a personal, human level, instead of focusing on the eternal, heavenly center where all things began.

Ask The Question Properly -Voddie Baucham

Father, You deserve ALL thanks and praise for all you do. Though we are sinners, fully deserving of your wrath, you extend us grace, mercy and compassion. These gifts alone are worthy of your thanks. But you gifts us many other things beyond just 'life.' You give us family and friends to love . . . with the very love you gave us. You give us the gift of eternal life through simple faith in your Son. You feed us, cloth us and provide for us in this life through the gifts and talents you placed in us before we were born . . . in the inmost place you formed us. For all these things, Lord, we thank you and praise your mighty name, above all other names. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Let us give Him thanks and praise for all HE has done. :)