Thanksgiving - for what?

Thanksgiving is a lovely time of the year celebrated in many countries on different days. Years ago, the day was observed as an opportunity of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.  

It is a time when we gather as families and friends and enjoy good times together in festive food and drinks. A lot like Christmas in the UK. It is such a pity we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here.

I believe that Thanksgiving should also be a time of reflective prayers of gratitude to God for what He has done for us. Not just the gift of Creation and for sending Jesus in our lives to save and redeem us; but also for all the saving miracles He has performed for us throughout our lives; whether we know of them or not. Saving graces from so many dangers and evils that we know little or nothing about.

When times are bad, we often pray to God for help; and when the danger is over we usually forget to thank Him for His Divine interventions. Giving thanks becomes for us a random event remembered for past graces or even present ones if we are going through difficult times. 

But should our gratitude just be restricted to life's events? Should we not also thank God for mercies as yet unrealised?

God does not just control past and present events in our lives. He is there, ahead of us, preparing the way for us back to Paradise should we choose to follow it. He anticipates what is in store for us in the future and protects us from anything which would lead us astray from His Word. 

By thanking Him for the future we are sharing in this anticipation and we are proclaiming our faith and trust in Him that He will protect and guide us through whatever lies ahead. As we thank Him that He will not fail us in the future we are participating in our own salvation hand in hand in His Divine love and caring.

Happy Thanksgiving to all our readers.

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