♫ Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son.
Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One;
give thanks, because he’s given Jesus Christ, his Son.
And now let the weak say ‘I am strong’, let the poor say ‘I am rich’,
because of what the Lord has done for us; and now let the weak say ‘I am strong’,
let the poor say ‘I am rich’, because of what the Lord has done for us.
Give thanks…♫
These are words from the song “Give Thanks” which is Hymn No. 576 in our Hymnal. It is all about giving thanks to the Lord our God for sending his only Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The hymn speaks of how because of Christ and what He has done for all of us, we should give thanks for all things and in all circumstances.
1st Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We are now in the month of November. November is the month we think about giving thanks for all things. It is a time when we begin the “holiday season” with Thanksgiving (and of course we begin to prepare for the Season of Advent and Christmas). It is a time when we set aside a special day to thank the Lord for our many blessings. As I have said in the past, we should give thanks every day for our blessings, not just one day of the year. With that said, it is always nice when we have an opportunity to sit down with family and/or friends to give thanks and to share a meal.
Scripture is full of “give thanks” from the Psalms through the New Testament. One of my favorites is Psalm 28:7. The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
This year on Wednesday, November 22nd we will celebrate Thanksgiving with a special Thanksgiving Eve Communion Service. The service will begin at 6:00 PM. We will celebrate with hymns of thanks, prayer, a brief Thanksgiving message, and conclude with The Lord’s Supper.
All are encouraged to attend this special service. If you have guests, bring them along. And as always, invite others so they may experience worshiping the Lord our God who created all things.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor John