“Thanksgiving Is Thanks-living”
By: Stacy King-Chaney
Many years ago on Thanksgiving morning at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, located in West Philadelphia, PA., Pastor Albert F. Campbell (now Pastor Emeritus) preached a sermon entitled, “Thanksgiving is Thanks-living.” It was a sermon that emphasized that “real” Thanksgiving is more than a one day celebration of family and friends coming together and sharing in a feast of delicious foods. It is more than the grand Thanksgiving Parades with “floats” and marching bands and the start of the Holiday Season. It is more than the day before the shopping craze of black Friday. Although we may participate in and enjoy some or all of those things, Thanksgiving is best realized daily in our “Thanks-living.” It is the daily spirit of an attitude of gratitude for all that God has done, is doing and will do for His people. It is living thankfully each day and sharing our expression of gratitude daily with our family and our friends.
This particular sermon brought to mind some very key reasons to live gratefully, every day:
· God created us in His Image and we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Genesis 1:26 & Psalm 139:13-14)
· God’s mercies are new every morning and great is God’s faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22-23)
· God knows what we have need of, before we ask (Matthew 6:8)
· God will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
· God loves us (John 3:16)
· Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39)
· The Lord will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5)
· The Lord has come to give us life and give it more abundantly (John 10:10)
· The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7)
· The Lord is coming back (John 14:1-14)
Although this particular sermon did not touch on all of the aforementioned reasons to be grateful, it reminded us that these are just a few reasons to live with an attitude of gratitude. God expresses and exercises His unconditional love for us always. God never comes short on His Word and His promises are “yes and amen,” (2 Corinthians 1:-20).
God has not forgotten about us and is actively involved in the lives of mankind. God performs miracles every day. God does not sleep nor does He slumber (Psalm 121:4) and is aware of everything that happens in our life. God cares for us and has compassion for us, even as a father has for his children (1 Peter 5:7 & Psalm 103:13). There is so much more that can be expressed about God and His unfailing love and Him keeping us by day and night. But, there are not enough words or space in one article to express all of who God is and does in the lives of His people.
It is out of such an abundance from God that we are reminded that every day is a day of thanksgiving and that our “Thanksgiving” is best expressed through our “Thanks-living.”
Stacy King-Chaney
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