O Lord, I am your servant; I am servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 116:16-19

Now that the election is over, our minds will shift back to the routine of fall, especially planning our Thanksgiving and Christmas traditions. A time to gather as a church family as we celebrate these significant events, time with our families and a time to remember the past year.

This is my favorite time of year. The heat of summer is gone, the morning air is crisp, but especially Thanksgiving and Christmas!

In Psalm 116, the author remembers all that God has done for him and he desires to do all he can to thank God, offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving, paying back the vows he has made, and simply praising God.

Although we have all experienced significant bumps this past year, I still find myself so grateful. God loves me and has provided salvation, my wife, my children, my mother in-law Mindy, who lives with us, our home, my church, there’s just so much to be grateful for.

In 1 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul writes: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thes.5:18) Did you ever imagine that it is the will of God for us to be thankful?

Perhaps as you prepare for your Thanksgiving, you can begin by making a list of all the things you are thankful for? As you plan and prepare, you will note the turkey and fixings will cost more, but the time spent with your family, the time spent in thanking God will still make it well worth it.

Pastor John