A thankful Thanksgiving

A journalist was on assignment in a Third World country. Walking the city streets, he struck up a conversation with a young boy. The boy had no home, no family. He lived day to day. His shelter was a cardboard box. As the journalist asked his age and found out that his birthday was the next day, the journalist asked him, “If you could have anything you wanted, what would you want for your birthday?”
The boy answered very quickly, “A piece of plastic.” The rain, you see, often would soak the cardboard box, and all he had would be wet and cold. The plastic would keep him dry. That was the most wonderful thing he could imagine.
A story such as this helps us realize how many things we have to be thankful for, doesn’t it? The trouble is that even a story about the boy’s simple wish for some plastic cannot guarantee that we will feel thankful at Thanksgiving. Maybe our joy has become disappointment. Maybe heartache has devastated our family. Maybe we are in poor health. If our joy and thanksgiving depend on how well our lives have been going, then holidays like Thanksgiving will often be bland and empty. Even hearing about the poor boy living in a cardboard box will not make a lasting difference. That’s why our source of joy and thanksgiving needs to come from something greater. God’s Word leads us to the truth, “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphant procession …”   2 Corinthians 2:14.
No matter what our circumstances are, no matter who wins the election, no matter how well or poorly the economy is going, no matter what problems and challenges we are facing, as we believe in Jesus Christ, our lives are lives of triumph. Our source of joy and thanksgiving is found only in our Savior! The message of full forgiveness of sins through Jesus’ perfect life, His innocent death on the cross, and His glorious resurrection from the dead can transform a thankless Thanksgiving into one filled with gratitude. Jesus did it all for you and me! His Good News transforms defeated lives into triumphant ones.
In the end, what matters is not whether our home is made of wood, brick, or cardboard.  What matters is knowing and trusting in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
Come to God’s House to learn more about Jesus and how He will change your life. God’s richest blessings to you!