Today is a crazy day. Between preheating and parade-watching, Christmas decorating and crowd dodging, somewhere in there is Thanksgiving. Mostly, it’s hidden away or rushed over, our true excitement somewhere else. Maybe in a sale, maybe in a football game, maybe in a storage container filled with red and green. But today is Thanksgiving, a day set aside by our nation for her people to remember and give thanks. So let’s do just that. Let’s stop and praise.
Turn off the TV. Go to a quiet place. Turn off your Black Friday notifications. Stop, sit, praise.
Praise God that His anger is but for a moment, and that His favor is for life.
“Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
For His anger is but for a moment,
His favor is for life;
Weeping may endure for a night,
But joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:4-5
Praise God that He saved us while we were enslaved by sin.
“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” Romans 6:17
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8
Praise God that He is so for us that He spared not His beloved, perfect Son.
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:31-32
Praise God that He will never forsake us.
Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5
“But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob,
And He who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the Lord your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” Is. 43:1-3
Praise God for making us, loving us, and saving us.
“I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Psalm 139:14
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God.” Ephesians 2:8
And finally, praise God for every good and perfect gift we are enjoying today.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17
By God’s rich mercy, grace and love, we are surrounded by family, friends and loved ones today. No matter where we are, what we are or are not celebrating, we are confident in our Father’s love and grace, in His bountiful gifts and beautiful sacrifice. Make time today, and every day, to thank Him for all that He’s done. Because really, it is He who has done everything. He gave, He saved, He gives.
