Are we really celebrating Thanksgiving?

One year my wife and daughters bought Thanksgiving Shirts to wear on Thanksgiving day to recognize how much I love THANKSGIVING! Sadly, none of those shirts survived. Yet, every year, I look forward to this holiday. I often get accused of being a "Bah Humbug!" sort of guy when I say this --- Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!!!!

When we all get together as families across this nation on Thursday are we REALLY celebrating Thanksgiving? I was reading Zechariah 7 this morning:

"The Lord of Heaven's Armies sent me this message in reply: "Say to your people and your priests, 'During these seventy years of exile, when you fasted and mourned in the summer and early autumn, was it really for me that you were fasting? And even now in your holy festivals, aren't you eating and drinking just to please yourselves?" (Zechariah 7:4-6)

Are we really celebrating Thanksgiving, singing praises to the Lord for all he has done? I imagine many of you will say a prayer of thanks before you eat. The person who says that prayer has a lot of responsibility. How can we ever give enough thanks for all the Lord has done over the past year and years of our lives? But, for most, that is where it stops, a brief prayer blessing the meal, then we eat, and God is forgotten again until next year. 

I am not saying this as some righteous person. I just described exactly what takes place at our gatherings. We eat, laugh, watch football, play games, and spend time with each other. There is nothing wrong with those things. Those are the moments I treasure on Thanksgiving Day. But, just maybe, this Thanksgiving, you can tell those you love just how thankful you are that God put them in your life. Maybe each time you see your grandchild or great-grandchild, you can say a special prayer to the Lord for them and the gift they are! Maybe as you prepare the meal, watch the game, or spend time with your family, you can pray to the Lord for all his many gifts and provisions. Don't just rely on a single prayer to speak for the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Live every day in praise for what God has done!

Make Thanksgiving Day REALLY about giving thanks. Treasure every moment and praise God from whom all blessings flow!