Thanksgiving

“I am sooooo thankful.”

Yesterday I heard a lady on the radio, a college athletics coach, announce that as she and her team traveled that one of the planned activities is to list at least 50 things for which they are thankful.


Other people often say “Count your blessings.”

What do these generic statements of thankfulness mean?

The thing that is curiously missing from these statements is “thankful to whom”?

Both the religious and the irreligious make these statements of thankfulness. What does this mean?

One observation would be that even those who say that they do not believe in a divine being and especially not in the Lord, still realize in their innermost being that the good things that they enjoy cannot be attributed solely to their own accomplishments. Some things even the most determinedly self-reliant still cannot take credit for according to their own efforts. Thus the rather spontaneous statement, “I am sooooo thankful.”

For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. (Romans 2:14-16)

Is this general sense of thankfulness among people of all races and religiosity really evidence that the Lord has built into our being a natural knowledge of His divine presence and providence?

One time that this seems to be an irresistible response is in the case of an unexplainable and “miraculous” rescue from danger or a “medical miracle.” Even doctors who imagine that healing is something that they make happen, ordinarily giving credit only to the science and procedures of medical expertise, will let slip the words, “I have no explanation for your recovery. It’s a miracle.” And of course, the person and/or family respond, “I am sooooo thankful.”

So what does this mean for you? Do you really know why you give thanks? Do you really know the one to whom your thanksgiving is directed?

Psalm 136

1 Thessalonians 5:18