The True Meaning of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day in America is a day of eating turkey, pies, stuffing, dressing, cakes, cookies, green beans with mushroom soup and French onions, sweet potatoes, and more. It is a day for watching football. It is a day to be with family, to talk, laugh, break bread, and celebrate all the good things in our lives. It is a day for reflection on the year that has been, and the promise of the year to come. It is the beginning of the Holiday Season. What a great day!

So, what is missing? Is God invited to your dining room table? Does your family take time to remember Him? Christians know that all good things come from God; that he sees to our needs, and loves us as His children. He loves us so much he became human and died on a cross so that our sins could be forgiven in divine justice, so that we could freely enter into a personal relationship with him, so when he looks at us, he only sees the sinless Christ, sacrificed so that we might have eternal life in Him.

We are so blessed to have been born in such a great nation. So many opportunities and choices are our right, simply due to our place of birth. Some might call this divine providence. But Americans are not alone in receiving God’s love, it is there at our dinner tables, it is with the starving child in a third world nation, it is in the nations that deny His existence as a matter of political discourse. God’s gift of justifying grace is the true reason for celebration, for we are freed from sin and death by it. It is not due to anything we do, but what He did for us.

Here are some famous quotes about the true meaning of Thanksgiving:

“A sensible thanksgiving for mercies received is a mighty prayer in the Spirit of God. It prevails with Him unspeakably.” John Bunyan

“We ought to shout out our thanksgiving as if every war were over; as if there were no more big taxes; as if there were no sickness, no crime.” John R.Rice

“I preached on the righteousness of the law and the righteousness of faith. While I was speaking, several dropped down as dead and among the rest such a cry was heard of sinners groaning for the righteousness of faith that it almost drowned my voice. But many of these soon lifted up their heads with joy and broke out into thanksgiving, being assured they now had the desire of their soul—the forgiveness of their sins.” John Wesley

Psalm 100:4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.

1st Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

And the one I leave you with to ponder, pray, and praise over:

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule your heats, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.


So remember, like the song says, “give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks for the Holy One. Give thanks because He’s Risen, Jesus Christ is Lord!”

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends out there. May you all be blessed with family, food, fun, and the love of Christ.