This post originally appeared at https://wifamilycouncil.org/radio/give-thanks-to-god/
2025 | Week of November 24 | Radio Transcript #1646
In November 1863, the American Civil War had raged relentlessly for two years with little hope of letting up. In the midst of this intense national division, President Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In his proclamation, rather than lamenting about the depressing state of the war, President Lincoln called all Americans, both Union and Confederate, to give thanks to God and pointed out God’s many blessings such “fruitful fields,” “healthful skies,” national peace, and population increase. He wrote “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”[i]
Since the pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving joyfully praising God for His providence in bringing them through their hazardous first year in the New World, America has enjoyed a godly heritage of Thanksgiving. While the holiday itself has grown increasingly secular, it still provides us with a needed reminder to thank God for His many blessings in our lives.
Today, the idea of gratitude is still popular. Popular psychologists recommend practicing fifteen minutes of gratitude each day while scientists cite studies demonstrating that a lifestyle of gratitude can lead to greater emotional and social well-being, better sleep quality, lower depression risks, better heart health, and potentially a longer lifespan.[ii] And while our society brings out a valuable point that a grateful life reaps benefits, they miss the most important part: the object of our thanks. We shouldn’t practice a grateful attitude just to reap health benefits or to emote positive vibes. The Bible commands us not to feel grateful, but to verbally express our thanks to God.
Psalm ninety-five verses one and two say, “O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.”
As Christians, we possess innumerable reasons to give thanks. Although our lives may bring many difficulties, God has heaped many blessings in each of our lives. If you’re struggling to find reasons to give thanks this year, let us remind you of a few unchanging truths for which we should always give thanks.
We should give thanks for God’s unchanging character. He is faithful, loving, kind, merciful, and powerful. We should give thanks for the friends and family that God has given us. We should give thanks for the gift of life. Although life may not always be easy, each day is a gift from the Lord for which we should be grateful. We should give thanks for God’s Word. As English speakers in a free county, we have the great blessing of having God’s Word available at any time. Finally, and most importantly, we should give thanks for the gift of salvation. None of us deserves Christ’s great sacrifice on our behalf and the restored relationship with God that it provides. When all else fails, we can always be thankful for our salvation in Christ.
As Christians, Thanksgiving should be much more than just a holiday to us. It should be way of life. However, it is good and fitting for us to take this week as a special opportunity to focus on giving thanks to our good God. Here at Wisconsin Family Council, we encourage all individuals and families to set aside intentional time this week to offer thanks to the Lord and to maybe even start a new Thanksgiving tradition.
One excellent Thanksgiving tradition that your family could consider is writing a Thanksgiving list. Gather as a family or set aside time as an individual to write a list of reasons for you to thank God this year. Use this time as an opportunity to give thanks to God for the ways that He has been good in your life. You can keep adding to the list after Thanksgiving or set it aside for next year. But, make sure to save it so that you can look back later and remember the goodness of God in your life.
God is good in all details of life. Let us give Him the thanks that He deserves.
For Wisconsin Family Council, this is Daniel Degner wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving and reminding you that God, through the prophet Hosea, said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
[i] https://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm
[ii] https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/gratitude-enhances-health-brings-happiness-and-may-even-lengthen-lives-202409113071