Thanksgiving: The Poor Stepchild of the Holiday Season

(Author's Note: I will be taking off the rest of the week for Thanksgiving Break.  WftW will be back on December 2nd.  Jim)

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
 
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods. 

His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords: 
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,

His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens, 
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
 His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—

His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,

His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;

His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1-9 NIV)

Have you noticed how every year in stores, there is the focus on Halloween and then, after October 31st, the attention turns to Christmas? It seems retailers treat Thanksgiving as the poor stepchild of the holiday season.  Yes, it’s there, but we aren’t going to pay it a lot of attention.  In fact, within a couple hours of the Thanksgiving meal, we are going to entice people to start focusing on Christmas.

I think this can be seen as a reflection of our culture as a whole.  We are much more interested in fun and receiving things for ourselves than we are giving thanks for what we already have.  In other words, life is about us, and retailers know it.  So they go from selling costumes to stocking their shelves with Christmas stuff.  And we shouldn’t expect anything else.  They are interested in their bottom lines and they are going to do what makes them lots of money.  

But as followers of the Lord, we need to resist getting pulled along by the culture into self-absorption and greed.  Being thankful is not to be merely a two-to-three hour focus on the last Thursday of November; it is a way of life.  All of Psalm 136 is about being thankful for what the Lord has done. It is a guide for us as believers. We are continually to look both to the past and present for the work of the Lord and be thankful for all He has done. We look up at the stars and give thanks to the Lord. We stand on a beach and we give thanks.  We ski down a mountain and we give thanks.  We give thanks for mighty creative power of God. We look at our lives and give thanks for His provision—in our clothes closet, in our pantry, in our checking account.  Even in our darkest times, we can still give thanks to the Lord for walking through it with us instead of being on our own.  As the Apostle Paul tells us: Give thanks in all circumstances. (I Thessalonians 5:18) 

Today, as you are preparing to celebrate Thanksgiving, remember all the good things the Lord has given you, both in the past and in the present. And do it, not just on one day, but every day.  For while the world moves quickly on to the task of Christmas shopping, your heart should remain continually thankful.  

© Jim Musser 2013