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Thanksgiving did not begin as a day centered on turkey, travel, and football. It began as a day to stop and thank God. The Pilgrims were the first to celebrate it, and they were Christians who read the Bible often. They believed that everything good in life is a gift from God.

Their first year in America was extremely difficult. Many people died. The ones who survived were weak, hungry, and unsure how long they could continue. Then God provided for them. He sent people to help them. He gave them a harvest that brought real hope. When they gathered for their meal, they were not celebrating a perfect life. They were thanking God for carrying them through a season they could not survive on their own. That is the heart of the first Thanksgiving. It was a day set apart to remember the kindness and faithfulness of God.

This idea comes straight from Scripture. In Exodus chapter fifteen, after God rescues Israel from Egypt and parts the Red Sea, the people stop and worship. They sing a song of thanksgiving because they understand that God is the one who saved them.

Another powerful example is found in Joshua chapter four. After God helps Israel cross the Jordan River, He tells them to stack twelve stones as a memorial. These stones were meant to make future generations ask, What happened here. The answer would be simple. This is where God brought us through. That memorial is an early picture of Thanksgiving. It is a way of remembering what God has done.

The Bible also speaks about thank offerings in Leviticus chapter seven. These offerings were not given because of sin or guilt. They were brought simply to thank God. This shows that gratitude has always been part of worship.

The Psalms repeat this calling. Psalm one hundred tells us to enter His gates with thanksgiving. Psalm one hundred seven begins with, Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. David wrote many of these psalms in seasons of pressure and uncertainty. He teaches us that thanksgiving is not built on easy moments. It is built on trust in the goodness of God.

In the New Testament we see the same truth. Jesus gives thanks before feeding the five thousand in John chapter six. He gives thanks again at the Last Supper in Luke chapter twenty two. Even when He knew the cross was near, He still thanked God. His example shows that thanksgiving is an act of trust.

Paul also speaks about gratitude often. In Colossians chapter three he calls believers to be thankful. In Colossians chapter four he tells them to pray with thanksgiving. In Philippians chapter four he teaches us to bring our requests to God with thanksgiving. In First Thessalonians chapter five he gives one of the clearest instructions. Give thanks in all circumstances. This is God’s will for His people.

In a world that often tries to remove God from everything, Thanksgiving reminds us to keep God at the center. It is a day to pause and say, God carried me. God provided. God has been faithful again.

When you’re not sure how to pray, A.C.T.S. gives you a simple path to follow: Adore, Confess, Thank, and Ask.

Adoration: God, You are faithful and worthy of all praise.

Confession: Forgive me for the times I forget Your goodness.

Thanksgiving: THANK YOU for carrying me this year and for every blessing you have and will give me.

Supplication: Help me to stay grateful, trust You, and keep You at the center of my life.

In Jesus name, Amen

“Gratitude” by Brandon Lake

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Zach and the Daily Devotion team