It's only 2 words but yet so meaningful! Thank you! In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to become a National holiday. It would be on the final Thursday in November and it would be a day where families would give thanks to God. The tradition has always continued and I always look forward to it. Yes, I do love my Turkey leg and yes, I do love good food. But I do love to give thanks! There is one thing that does bother me. What about the other 365 days of the year? Do we give thanks on January 23rd? Or March 4th? How about June 30th? How about September 1st? It has been my conviction that every single day we should say "Thank you" to God. God, thank you for the clothes I wear, the food I eat, for my job, for the roof over my head, for the car that gets me around and for good health."
When I was a kid, I always received a check in the mail for my birthday from my Dad's Aunt and Uncle. Aunt Gladys and Uncle Frank. Uncle Frank was my Grandfather's brother. They were like third Grandparents to my sister and brother and I. They never forgot our birthdays. My Mom would always say, "Make sure you write a Thank you card to Aunt Gladys and Uncle Frank!" Of course being a kid I always griped about it, procrastinated and complained but I did write a Thank you card with my terrible penmanship. I never really put much thought into what Aunt Gladys & Uncle Franks reaction was when they received the Thank you card in the mail. I'm sure it made them very happy. I do believe God feels the same way about us when he hears us say "Thank you." I'm sure it makes him very happy!
It reminds me of the story in the bible in Luke 17:11-19 when Jesus healed 10 lepers. Leprosy is a very contagious skin disease. It was so bad that if you had leprosy in bible times you were sent to a "Leper Camp" with other lepers so you could not spread the disease. As Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, he was approached by 10 lepers. They stood at a distance and asked Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus told them to go see the priests. As they went there they were cleansed. One of them after being healed returned to Jesus, threw himself at his feet and thanked him. Jesus then asked"Were not all 10 cleansed? Where are the other 9?" Jesus then said to the one "Rise and go! Your faith has made you well." Imagine being healed by Jesus but never saying thank you to him. I often wonder what happened to the other nine who did not say "Thank you?" Do you think they felt any sense of guilt or shame after realizing they never thanked Jesus? That is why we need to take the time every day to say to God, "Thank you!" 2 simple words but very powerful and very much needed in our society today!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!!
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