Deuteronomy 16:13-15
Thanksgiving, in my opinion, is a holiday that most resembles some of the Feasts of Old Testament Israel. God was all about annual celebrations and giant feasts to commemorate the good things He had done for His people. One of my favorite feasts was the Feast of Booths or Tents. It was essentially a glorified camping trip! It celebrated both the end of the harvest and the gathering of the last crops, as well as the wanderings in the wilderness. The people did not work for eight days and they spent that time feasting nonstop, offering thanksgiving and freewill offerings, and they built temporary shelters out of branches and leaves to stay in during that time. It was a glorious celebration! Just imagine if Thanksgiving was eight days long!
I love camping, but whenever the camping trip is over some of my favorite things to do include taking a long, hot shower, and sleeping in my comfy bed. In the same way God designed the Feast of Tents to help the people "appreciate their homes and realize how thankful they should be for their comforts (Deut. 6:10-11)."1 This feast combined both the gathering of the harvest and the reminder of wandering in the wilderness because "when the people dwelled in the land and enjoyed God's bounty, they could not forget the hardships of the temporary dwellings in the wilderness."2 It is a reminder that everything the people possessed came from God- in the same way He provided food, water, and shelter for them in the wilderness, He continued to provide food, water, and shelter for them now.
It is only by remembering what God has done that we can step out in faith for the year to come. God never asks us to trust Him blindly, He always says "look back, remember, see what I have done...now trust Me." He was constantly reminding Israel of how He brought them out of Egypt, through the Red Sea, and preserved them in the wilderness. Usually these reminders came at a time when they were facing a great battle, hardship, or famine. God is always telling us "Remember how I took care of you in the past, you can trust Me to do the same for you in the future." That is why we are commanded, not encouraged, but commanded to give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." So often people say they want to know and do God's will for their lives, well, there you have it, give thanks!
When I was a child my mother had a big glass jar that she kept in the pantry. This was our "Thank You Jar" and whenever we felt thankful for something we could write in on a piece of paper and slip it into the jar. Then, at the end of every year we would pass the jar around, pull out the slips of paper, and read them one by one. Over time, as we grew older, the jar was replaced by a "Thank You Journal." Then as we moved away from home, my mother gave each of us a notebook to keep track of our blessings. Each year during the holiday season when we gather as a family we go month by month and share the various blessings that we recorded in our notebooks. It has become a special way to reflect on the year and be reminded on some of the huge blessings.
In our attempt to keep the tradition alive, my husband and I each have a notebook in which we have been recording our blessings. I usually pull it out each night and jot down the blessings of the day. Some days are easier than others, but every day I write something. I always put a star next to the big highlights that I intend to share at the end of the year. It has always been overwhelming to look back over the year and reflect on all that God has done.
God is all about tangible reminders to help us reflect on the things He has done and offer Him thanksgiving. He knows that a heart of gratitude produces trust, and trust produces peace. Thanksgiving is the root that determines our mindset, and it is a habit that we must foster daily, not just once a year. Even the holiday of Thanksgiving is often no more than food, family, football, and more food. Take some time to make this Thanksgiving an opportunity to reflect on God's provision and praise Him for His many blessings. Consider setting the timer for an hour and using that time to write out a "thankful list." Take some time as a family to reflect and share month by month over the blessings of the year. More than anything, brainstorm ways to develop a daily habit that will cultivate a heart of thanksgiving.
1 A. P. Ross, Holiness to the LORD, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2002, pg. 437.
2 Ibid, pg. 435.
3 Image taken from crunchycatholicmomma.blogspot.com
I read this to Grandma and Becky in the living room after dinner was done and dishes were washing. Esther was there too - changing Amelia's dirty diaper. Everyone but Amelia appreciated your story and exhortation. My blessing notebook this year was filled by August. I had to start another one. Thanks for carrying on the tradition. YOU are one of my best blessings.
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