The treeline glows with hues of orange and yellow, while jagged paths of green pines stand tall against the vibrant backdrop. Brown leaves, now crisp and brittle, blanket the deck and grass. As we paddle along calm waters, geese fly overhead, their honking mixing with the faint echoes of distant voices. It's our last paddle of the season, and on this calm, sunny day, it feels like the perfect farewell to fall.
The leaves continue to turn, and the fields are growing bare. Pumpkins line doorsteps, and grocery store freezers are stocked with pie crusts. The harvest season is winding down. Fall is in full swing, and with it, the arrival of Thanksgiving.
A Posture of Thanksgiving
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul calls us to “give thanks” in all circumstances. The Greek word eucharisteo carries the meaning of expressing gratitude for blessings, both big and small. This invitation to thanksgiving isn’t tied to our circumstances but is meant to be a constant, drawing our hearts into an ongoing recognition of God’s grace, no matter the situation.
Thanksgiving isn’t just a fleeting feeling or an annual holiday—it’s a posture of the heart. Psalm 100:4 beckons us to “enter his gates with thanksgiving,” reminding us that gratitude is the gateway into God’s presence. It's a posture that acknowledges everything we have is a gift from Him, not the result of our own efforts.
At the core of thanksgiving is humility. To be thankful is to confess that we are not the authors of our lives—God is. We aren’t the strong warriors, standing on our own strength—He fights for us. It is not our armor that protects us but His. When we give thanks, we recognize that all we are and all we possess come from the gracious hand of the Father.
When our daughter was in the hospital—her lungs too inflamed to function, machines breathing for her, and medications keeping her body stable—we didn’t feel joyful. What we felt was exhaustion and fear.
But perhaps that’s why Scripture speaks of giving thanks—as an action, something we actively do. We don’t have to wait until we feel thankful to express it. Even in hardship, we can acknowledge God’s presence and name His blessings and provisions, even in the heart of our deepest struggles. As we sat by her bedside, cradling her hand, we held tightly to the truth of God’s goodness and His presence with us, even as we felt completely drained.
When we choose to give thanks in the midst of suffering, it becomes an act of faith. It’s a declaration that, even when life feels out of control, God is still sovereign, still good. Thanksgiving in hard times anchors us in the truth that our circumstances don’t define God’s character. Instead, our gratitude becomes a pathway to deeper trust in His unfailing love and care. As we recount His faithfulness, even in the smallest ways, we find strength to persevere, knowing that His grace will sustain us through every trial. In our weakness, thanksgiving reminds us that we are held by a God who is both near and mighty.
The Table of Thanksgiving
In Ephesians 5:20, the Apostle Paul writes, "Give thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." This command directs us to look beyond the immediate, pointing us toward a life rooted in the ultimate gift—Jesus Himself. Gratitude becomes a way of life, reflecting the ongoing work of the gospel in our hearts.
It’s interesting that the word for thanksgiving, eucharisteo, is also the term we use for the sacrament of the Eucharist, or the Lord’s Table.
During a recent communion service, as the bread was passed, my youngest daughter whisper-shouted, “What is this? Why can’t I have it?” Her curiosity interrupted my moment of quiet reflection and reminded me of the need to explain, once again, the significance of the Lord’s Table. It made me pause and wonder: are we talking about it enough? Are we remembering Christ's sacrifice enough?
In The Thrill of Orthodoxy, Trevin Wax writes that "The Christian life begins with spiritual astonishment at the glory of the gospel and the goodness and beauty of Christian truth," describing the wonder of being brought into a new world of grace. Yet, over time, we can lose this sense of awe. Wax warns of a “spiritual sleepiness” that creeps in—becoming sluggish with Scripture, indifferent to doctrine, and bored with the Bible. This is a call to awaken, to rekindle that astonishment, and to consistently rediscover the beauty and power of the gospel that first captivated us.
The Practice of Thanksgiving
So, how do we practice thanksgiving?
A posture of humble dependance and remembrance of the gospel are essential elements, then we consider how to actively cultivate gratitude in our daily lives. Cultivating a spirit of thanksgiving begins with attentiveness. In Holy Helps for a Christian Life, Richard Rogers emphasizes the importance of recognizing specific blessings to truly nurture gratitude. Ann Voskamp’s challenge to count 1,000 gifts encourages us to keep a record of the small moments of grace we encounter each day. Without this intentional focus, these blessings can easily go unnoticed.
One evening after jiu-jitsu practice, my daughter stood in the parking lot, gazing at the sky. “Mom, just look at that beautiful sunset,” she exclaimed, prompting me to pause. In my rush to get home, I had almost missed it. Thanksgiving often requires this kind of intentional pause—an attentiveness to God’s presence in both the small and significant moments.
We also experience monumental moments of gratitude. In our family, we celebrate Transplant Anniversary Day, which commemorates the grace and mercy of God’s healing of our youngest daughter when doctors had prepared us to say goodbye. This day serves as a reminder of the sacrificial love of our five-year-old, who was willing to help save her sister by sharing the marrow in her bones. I never want to take these precious moments for granted.
A Waiting Gratitude
Finally, thanksgiving is about waiting with hope. As we commemorate the harvest in the autumn, we acknowledge that the fruits of the land come by God’s provision, often after long periods of toil, uncertainty, and waiting. In the same way, we await the spiritual harvest.
Thanksgiving helps us endure the waiting, trusting that the Lord’s faithfulness will bring forth a harvest of righteousness. As Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Our gratitude anchors our hearts in God’s sovereignty and goodness.
As we reflect on these truths, may we cultivate both a posture and a practice of thanksgiving—one that not only expresses gratitude in the moment but shapes how we live, reminding us that every good gift comes from the Father above.
What can you give thanks for today?
Happy Thanksgiving! 🇨🇦
Comentarios