Keep a True Thanksgiving

Scripture: 1 John 4:20

Hallelujah! May our Lord accept the Thanksgiving worship we offer and richly pour out His grace upon all of us. As we approach Thanksgiving this week, I have reflected and prayed about what message our Lord may be giving us regarding this special occasion. From these reflections, I have organized my thoughts as follows: First, why should we observe Thanksgiving? Second, how is the Thanksgiving offered by Christians different from that of other religions? Third, what does God reveal to us through Thanksgiving? I wish to share the message God is giving us based on these three points. May today’s message bring you joy and blessings, and may it be a time when your soul rejoices in His grace.

First, why should we observe Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a time to express our heartfelt gratitude to God, who has abundantly provided us with crops and produce. Some may think, “Isn’t harvesting the farmers’ job? So, isn’t Thanksgiving worship meant only for them?” However, this is not the case. It is God who gives life through crops, and both farmers and non-farmers alike depend on these crops for their sustenance. The benefit of agricultural produce is shared equally among all.

Farmers work hard to produce crops, sell them, and use the earnings to purchase what they need. On the other hand, those who do not farm earn money through their labor and use it to buy agricultural products and other necessities.

However, the food we eat is not merely the result of human labor. It is a gift of life freely given to us by God. The money we pay for food is merely compensation for the efforts of farmers, transporters, and merchants. The crops, meat, seafood, and all other foods we consume are gifts of life that God graciously provides. Therefore, the difference between those who believe in God and those who do not is revealed in whether or not they offer a prayer of gratitude before eating.

For instance, consider buying an apple for one dollar. Many might think, “I paid a fair price, so there’s no reason to be thankful.” But have they truly paid the full price? The answer is no. The money paid covers the labor of the people involved, but it does not include the value of the apple as a living creation. And such a cost cannot be included. God, in His wisdom, sustains our lives through other living beings. How can we not be grateful when we realize this truth?

Therefore, Thanksgiving is not a day of gratitude reserved only for farmers—it is a time for everyone to express their thanks to God.

Second, how is the Thanksgiving offered by Christians different from that of other religions?

There is a clear distinction. To truly thank the invisible God, we must also express our gratitude to the brothers and sisters God has placed in our lives. 1 John 4:20 says, “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen.” From this verse, we can derive the following principle: “If anyone says, ‘I thank God,’ but holds complaints and grudges against their brother, they are a liar; for one who cannot express gratitude to their brother whom they can see cannot truly thank God whom they cannot see.” This principle is further confirmed by Matthew 25:40, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,” and Matthew 10:40, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.” Jesus identifies Himself with those who believe in Him, showing that how we treat others reflects how we treat God.

Spiritually speaking, expressing gratitude to our brothers and sisters is equivalent to thanking God. Similarly, hating a brother or sister is akin to hating God. Loving others is an essential part of loving God. This is a unique feature of the Christian faith that sets it apart from other religions. Our relationship with God is not merely a vertical, one-on-one relationship. Some people focus solely on their vertical relationship with God, striving to offer their best to Him. Even non-believers do this with their gods. However, Jesus emphasized that God’s perspective includes both vertical and horizontal relationships.

When the rich young ruler asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus did not speak about commandments relating to a vertical relationship with God but focused solely on commandments concerning horizontal relationships. This highlights that the faith of the cross includes our relationships with others, and thanksgiving to God cannot be separated from thanksgiving to our brothers and sisters. As Jesus said, “You cannot love the God you have not seen if you do not love the brother you have seen.”

Therefore, true thanksgiving must include expressing gratitude to others. Recognizing that the life given to us by God reaches us through the hands of many people, we must express gratitude to all who have played a role in sustaining our lives. Only then can our Thanksgiving be complete. Let us say to one another, “Thank you,” and share our gratitude. Turn to the person next to you and say, “I am happy and thankful because of you.” Particularly within families—between husbands and wives, and between parents and children—frequently expressing words of gratitude can resolve many issues naturally.

A home and a community filled with gratitude and love leave no room for the devil to interfere. A life of complete thanksgiving to God begins with a heart that first thanks others. May this truth be deeply rooted in your heart, and only then, as Jesus instructed, bring your offerings to the altar.

But here’s the question: Should we give thanks even to those who seem impossible to thank?
The answer is yes. How can we possibly be thankful when we are repeatedly hurt by the words of those closest to us, or when we feel deep disappointment, anger, or frustration toward a spouse or child who refuses to change? From a spiritual perspective, these experiences can be understood as part of God’s discipline, as described in Hebrews 12.

The Greek word παιδεία (paideia), translated as “discipline,” means education, nurturing, and training. While discipline and correction are not pleasant in themselves, when viewed through the lens of God’s providence, they clearly have a purpose and are ultimately beneficial. God disciplines us so that, as Hebrews 12:14 says, we may grow spiritually, live in peace with everyone, and lead a holy life. Such a life is essential to see the Lord.

Discipline is God’s tool for teaching His beloved children. Without it, we would not be considered God’s children but illegitimate (Hebrews 12:8). God’s discipline is evidence of His love for us and is inherently beneficial. We can give thanks for things that are beneficial to us. The problem arises when we fail to see the benefits of God’s discipline and therefore struggle to be thankful. God uses discipline to refine us and shape our character.

Enduring this refinement requires patience and perseverance. During such times, we must remember Philippians 4:6: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” We are told not to worry because our lives are ultimately not under our control. In hindsight, we often realize, “I’m glad I waited patiently and didn’t speak impulsively.” David reflects this wisdom in Psalm 39:9: “I was silent and did not open my mouth, for you are the one who has done this.”

Therefore, responding with gratitude even to those we find impossible to thank is what sets apart the Thanksgiving that God accepts. This kind of Thanksgiving is distinct from the world’s and is pleasing to the Lord. In practical terms, even if there have been frustrating moments between spouses, parents, and children, let today’s Thanksgiving worship be a time to approach our families, church members, and brothers and sisters with only gratitude. In doing so, may our worship be acceptable to God.

I bless you in the Lord’s name to offer thanks in all your relationships so that our Thanksgiving before God is worthy and pleasing to Him.

Third, what does God reveal to us through Thanksgiving?

The visible was created from the invisible. Thanksgiving is a day to recognize and give thanks for the life God has freely given to our physical bodies. Building upon this understanding, we must also believe and thank the Lord for giving His body and blood without cost to save our souls. What, then, is the evidence of partaking in the body and blood of Christ? It is that, every day, the Lord abides in us, and we abide in Him, becoming one with Him. Additionally, the Lord has poured out His Spirit so that our souls may live and breathe through the Holy Spirit.

Just as our bodies inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide to live, our souls must also breathe to live. Breathing is evidence of life. Just as a body that cannot breathe is dead, a soul that cannot breathe is also dead. Physical breathing happens naturally when we are alive, and likewise, spiritual breathing occurs naturally when the soul is alive.

What is the breathing of the soul? It is sustained by the constant supply of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit must continuously enter us for our souls to live. To “breathe in” the Spirit means simultaneously “breathing out” something else. What do we breathe out? The spirit of the world. When the Holy Spirit enters our hearts, the spirit of the world is naturally expelled. This spiritual breathing is evidence that our souls are alive, and those who experience it know they are spiritually alive.

A soul that breathes longs for a spiritual Thanksgiving. The Lord enables our souls to breathe every moment, provides His Word from the mouth of God for the maturing of our souls, and causes the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us. Thus, Thanksgiving is a time to express gratitude not only for God’s grace but also for the spiritual leaders He uses as channels of His blessings. This act of gratitude is ultimately thanksgiving to God, as the Lord told His disciples: “Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever receives you receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”

May we all experience the joy of this spiritual Thanksgiving today.

God desires our Thanksgiving to include not only visible gratitude but also unseen spiritual thanksgiving. To offer true spiritual Thanksgiving, the Holy Spirit must dwell in our hearts. Only those who have the Holy Spirit within them can truly observe a spiritual Thanksgiving.

We have all been baptized. What is baptism? It means that our old selves die with Christ on the cross, and we become new creations as the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. Those who are baptized can confess, as in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.” Amen!

However, if you have made this confession but do not feel the breath of your soul, then you are like an unborn baby still in the spiritual womb of the church. Yet, the time will come when you must be born. A newborn baby proves its life by crying. The cry must come for breathing to begin. A baby cries to express hunger, tiredness, or pain. Even though it cannot speak, the mother understands the cries and meets the baby’s needs.

Likewise, God, who created us, knows what we need before we ask. All we need to do is cry out to Him. Just as a newborn baby takes its first breath with a loud cry, our souls begin to breathe spiritually the moment we cry out before God. And God rejoices at our new birth. In my own experience, and among those I have met who have been born again by the Holy Spirit, all of them have had moments of crying out loudly in prayer.

To truly observe a spiritual Thanksgiving, we must be born again through the Holy Spirit. Do you feel a stirring in your heart, a desire to be reborn by the Spirit? If so, that is a sign that your heart is opening. Cry out, “Lord!” in prayer. Seek the presence of the Holy Spirit and pray earnestly, letting your tears flow freely. When you cry out to Him with a sincere heart, your soul’s breathing will begin. Amen!

Now, let us conclude the message.

Thanksgiving is not simply about giving thanks for material blessings. God desires for us to move beyond visible gratitude to embrace an unseen, spiritual thanksgiving. Beyond thanking Him for the grace that sustains our physical lives, we must also remember and give thanks for the love of our Lord, who gave His body and blood to save our souls. May we worship Him with true gratitude.

This gratitude becomes alive when the Holy Spirit enables our souls to breathe and awakens us to experience the new life God has given us. Being born again through the Spirit, we are called to express gratitude to our brothers and sisters, fulfilling the mission of saving souls that God has entrusted to us.

Today, let us reflect on the true meaning of Thanksgiving and offer complete gratitude and glory to God. May our spiritual thanksgiving overflow into our relationships with others, so that our gratitude may glorify God. I earnestly pray this blessing upon you.

Now, let us pray together. Let this moment become the greatest cry of your life. For one minute, cry out, “Lord!” with tears. Obey this call, and you will be born again by the Holy Spirit, becoming a joyful and blessed believer in Christ.

Prayer
Gracious and loving Father,
We give You thanks, praise, and glory for causing us to be born again through the church. Just as a newborn cries out and begins to breathe, let our souls cry out as evidence of being born again. May we continuously weep and breathe in Your Spirit, sustaining the life of our souls.

Today, we offer our Thanksgiving worship, seeking to make it acceptable to You by first expressing gratitude toward our brothers and sisters. Grant us the courage to do so. We also give thanks for the crops and produce You have freely provided for our physical sustenance.

Furthermore, we thank You for the body and blood of our Lord, which nourish us as the bread of life and the living water of eternal life. Through this, we grow and bear the abundant fruit of the Spirit. Let those who see us partake of this fruit and live joyful lives, praising You, our God.

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.