Gratitude is an attitude that should be characteristic of our lives as Christ-followers every day, not just during thanksgiving. There are so many reasons for us to be thankful. In fact, we can also be thankful that we can give thanks.
Why We Should Be Grateful
Many of us celebrate thanksgiving by sitting down, saying a little prayer, and then proceeding to munch on that sumptuous meal prepared on the dinner table. And yes, we also throw in a favourite movie or sports game on TV. What we forget, however, is the real reason why we should be grateful.
Why are we grateful anyway? Whatever the reason, we must remember that "every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights, with whom there is no shadow of turning" (see James 1:17). Every little good thing we have, whether it's a loving relationship with our spouses, a nice car or home, a job that pays well, a great group of friends in church and at work, or even just that laptop or device you're reading this article from, it's all from the Lord.
So why should we be grateful? It's because God loves us so much that all that we have, including our breath, our bodies, our blood, our veins, our ability to talk and read, all of this come from Him.
Acts 17:28 tells us that "in Him we live and move and have our being." Our very existence stems from this loving and gracious God who, with all loving purpose and creative intent, made man in His image to reflect His glory.
An Even Greater Reason to Be Grateful
Sadly, because of our sin we were separated from our holy God. Yet in His great love, He sent His one and only begotten Son to redeem us and purchase our forgiveness and freedom by the shedding of His blood on the cross of Calvary.
Yes, because God loved us so much, He gave His one and only Son, and inflicted on Him the punishment that was supposed to be for our sins!
Christ received all of God's righteous wrath for our sin on our behalf, just so that we could be forgiven and given the way to return to God – to become sons and daughters of the Most High God in heaven through repentance and submitting to the Lordship of Christ Jesus, the King of kings.
Friends, let Christ be your reason to be grateful always. More than the family, fun, and friends. More than the gadgets, careers, and salaries. More than anything else. Let God's mercy and grace in the face of Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again, be the reason why you are grateful.
"O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!" – Romans 7:24-25
