Margaret Sangster captured in a poem what most everyone feels in our hearts today: “For the days when nothing happens, for the cares that leave no trace; for the love of little children, for each sunny dwelling place; for the altars of our fathers, and the closets where we pray, Take, O gracious God and Father, praises this Thanksgiving Day.”
Surely, we join the poet in that praise on this Thanksgiving Day! So much to be thankful for—both what we have and what we do not have!
I heard about a man who owned a piece of property that he wanted to sell. He talked with a realtor, who asked him to write a brief description of the estate. When the listing was ready, the agent took it to the gentleman for his approval. “Read that again,” the owner said. So the real estate agent read the advertisement again. “I don’t think I want to sell this property after all,” the man said. “I’ve been looking for an estate like that all my life, and I just now came to realize that I owned it.”
We have so very much that we sometimes do not appreciate the goodness of God in supplying all our needs and more.
A mother with two small children was destitute. In the cold of winter, the desperate mother took the cellar door off its hinges and propped it up against the corner, where the children were huddled to sleep, in order to keep some of the cold draft off of them. One of the little ones said, “Mother, what do those poor children do who have no cellar door to put up in front of them?”
Have you thanked God for all that you have—and for that which you do not have?
Paul wrote to believers in his epistles, repeatedly speaking of his thankfulness to God for them: “We are bound to thank God always for you…We give thanks to God always for you…I thank God that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers…We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you…I thank my God upon every remembrance of you…Wherefore I also cease not to give thanks for you…First I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all….” (II Thess. 1:3; I Thess. 1:3; II Tim.1:3; Col.1:3; Phil.1:3; Eph. 1:15,16; Rom. 1:8)
In 1991, after a military coup in Haiti, an embargo was imposed by the international community on the Caribbean island. A missionary reported that a Christian woman during those difficult days stood up in a prayer meeting and prayed, “We thank You, Lord, for the embargo. It has taught us to depend more upon You. And it has given us a greater longing for heaven.” Can we follow Paul’s exhortation to “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”? (I Thess. 5:18) (copied, Our Daily Bread)
“Peace and Mercy and Jonathan—and Patience (very small), stood by the table giving thanks the First Thanksgiving of all. There was very little for them to eat, nothing special, nothing sweet; only bread and a little broth, and a bit of fruit (no tablecloth); But Peace and Mercy and Jonathan—and Patience, in a row, stood up and asked a blessing on Thanksgiving long ago. Thankful they were their ship had come safely across the sea; thankful they were for hearth and home, and kin—and company; they were glad of broth to go with their bread, glad their apples were round and red, glad of mayflowers they would bring out of the woods again next spring. So Peace and Mercy and Jonathan—and Patience (very small), stood up gratefully giving thanks the first Thanksgiving of all.” (Nancy Byrd Turner)
Are you grateful, too, for the bounty with which you are blessed this Thanksgiving Day, not the very first of all? If not, don’t forget this reminder:
“Today, upon a bus I saw a lovely girl with golden hair. I envied her…she seemed so gay… and wished I were half as fair. When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle. She had one leg and wore a crutch—but as she passed a smile. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine, I have two legs, the world is mine!
Later I stopped to buy some sweets. The boy who sold them had such charm, I thought I’d stop and talk awhile—if I were late, ‘twould do no harm. And, as we talked, he said, ‘Thank you, sir, you’ve really been so kind; It’s nice to talk to folks like you because, you see, I’m blind.’ Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two eyes, the world is mine!
Later, walking down the street, I met a boy with eyes so blue; but he stood and watched the others play; it seemed he knew not what to do. I paused, and then I said, ‘Why don’t you join the others, dear?’ But he looked straight ahead without a word, and then I knew—he could not hear. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two ears, the world is mine.
Two legs to take me where I go; two eyes to see the sunset’s glow. Two ears to hear all I should know. Oh, God, forgive me when I whine. I’m blessed indeed—the world is mine!” (unknown)
Happy Thanksgiving!
“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto Him with psalms.” (Ps.95:2)
YOU and GOD 