With a Thankful Heart 

(our theme for November)

Psalm 100:4-5 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

Go into his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him 

and praise his name.

 My favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. Don’t misunderstand me, I love Christmas. And the 4th of July. And, of course, Easter! My goodness, yes Easter! But for national holidays, it’s Thanksgiving. And the reason, probably, is tradition. There are so many traditions associated with Thanksgiving.

My family always gathered at my parent’s house. We always had the same meal. My dad made his cornbread dressing. It was legendary. I have continued to make it. My son has the recipe and makes it. We don’t have the magic so it’s not as good, but we make it.

The national holiday we celebrate as Thanksgiving has biblical roots. Of the major Bible themes, this is a leading one. Faith, joy, hope, and of course, love, are joined with gratitude as recurring themes in the Bible.  We are told to be thankful. Regardless of the circumstances. And when we are, life unfolds the way God intends.

This Thanksgiving celebrate in the way God invites us to. Being grateful not only for our blessings but for all of the goodness God provides. In the midst of hardships, be thankful. When times are tough, be thankful. When you are alone, be thankful. When others don’t understand, be thankful. And you will learn that our God is faithful. And that gratitude changes things from discouraging to encouraging, from despair to hope, from doubt to faith.

Just look at the cross. This is God’s way of responding to the worst that life can do. He will redeem everything. Give thanks.

Prayer:

God, You have the capacity to bless everything. Bless my life so that I will be truly grateful for all you give me and I will live in such a way that I reflect your glory. Amen.

This devotional was written and read by Herb Sadler.

Grace for All is a daily devotional podcast produced by the members of the congregation of First United Methodist Church in Maryville, Tennessee. With these devotionals, we want to remind listeners on a daily basis of the love and grace that God extends to all human beings, no matter their location, status, or condition in life. 

If you would like to respond to these devotionals in any way, we would enjoy hearing from you. Our email address is: podcasts@1stchurch.org. 

First United Methodist Church is a lively, spirit-filled congregation whose goal is to spread the message of love and grace into our community and throughout the world. We are located on the web at https://1stchurch.org/.