We Need to be Thankful – Pathways to Organization

Harvest or Thanksgiving cornucopia filled with vegetablesThanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  Perhaps because it’s all about good food, good fellowship and the realization that, because of the sacrifices of so many people, we live in such a free and wonderful country.

In 1621, settlers of this new land gathered for the first Thanksgiving celebration to express their gratitude to God for His bountiful provisions during the previous year. 

When George Washington became the first President of the United States, he too formally recognized Thanksgiving Day.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday.

I wonder what our forefathers would think of how we celebrate the holiday today?  Many stores are now opening their doors on Thanksgiving.  Many of us are too busy with watching football, or shopping or decorating for Christmas to even really think about the importance and the holiness of Thanksgiving.

It makes me stop and ask you:  Are you grateful for all that God has blessed you with?  Or are you going to instead just focus on your troubles, disappointments, and the pressures of life?

I know that complaining is much easier than being thankful.  The Israelites in the desert, instead of doing a jig in the sand because God had gotten them out of Egypt, started to complain about everything. And God judged them for it.  Why couldn’t they be thankful for their new freedom?

And why can’t we be happy that we have clean water and electricity and food stocked in grocery stores and medicine and plenty of hospitals and roads and libraries and parks and cars and technology?

My prayer for each one of you this Thanksgiving is that you will remember to be thankful.  To pray to your Lord with gratefulness and thanksgiving for all He has done for you and will do for you for now and forever more. 

Manna from Heaven

“O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.  For the Lord is a great God.”  Psalm 95:1-3

“Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing; Thou hast loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness; that my soul may sing praise to Thee, and not be silent.  O Lord my God, I will give thanks to Thee forever.”  Psalm 30: 11-12

Post navigation

Give

Subscribe to the Daybreak Devotions for Women

Be inspired by God's Word every day! Delivered to your inbox.


More from Lane Jordan

  • The Worth of Words – Pathways to Organization

    Here are some Bible verses about the power of words: Ephesians 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. A famous quote from Maya Angelou says, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Let’s celebrate the Love Month of February with words of love and kindness. Manna from Heaven I pray these verses will bless you as you speak to your loved ones: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

    4 min read
  • New Devotional Out Now! Treasure – Pathways to Organization

    I had the joy of writing this alongside Lisa Burkhardt Worley and the Pearls of Promise Ministry Team and we believe each day’s devotion will inspire you in your walk with the Lord. Great for Christmas presents too! Treasure: A Pearls of Promise 52-Week Devotional Manna from Heaven I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

    2 min read
  • For God to Heal our Nation – Pathways to Organization

    If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. In 2 Chronicles 7:19-22, God says, “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and command I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. … Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them – that is why he brought all this disaster on them.” God means business when we worship ourselves and reject His Word.

    3 min read
  • God is the Light – Pathways to Organization

    As it turned out, He was prepared to do just that through another king, one who was a ‘man after his own heart’ (I Samuel 13:1), King David, and later his own son, Jesus. Action Plan We are now asking ourselves, “How do we move forward?” First, we follow our God, the Shephard, who cares for His bride, the church. We need to remember what God promised us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God will stand with us as we navigate this season of great sadness.

    4 min read
  • God is the Light – Pathways to Organization

    As it turned out, He was prepared to do just that through another king, one who was a ‘man after his own heart’ (I Samuel 13:1), King David, and later his own son, Jesus. Action Plan We are now asking ourselves, “How do we move forward?” First, we follow our God, the Shephard, who cares for His bride, the church. We need to remember what God promised us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God will stand with us as we navigate this season of great sadness.

Editor's Picks

More from Lane Jordan

  • The Worth of Words – Pathways to Organization

    Here are some Bible verses about the power of words: Ephesians 4:29: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. A famous quote from Maya Angelou says, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Let’s celebrate the Love Month of February with words of love and kindness. Manna from Heaven I pray these verses will bless you as you speak to your loved ones: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

    4 min read
  • New Devotional Out Now! Treasure – Pathways to Organization

    I had the joy of writing this alongside Lisa Burkhardt Worley and the Pearls of Promise Ministry Team and we believe each day’s devotion will inspire you in your walk with the Lord. Great for Christmas presents too! Treasure: A Pearls of Promise 52-Week Devotional Manna from Heaven I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

    2 min read
  • For God to Heal our Nation – Pathways to Organization

    If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. In 2 Chronicles 7:19-22, God says, “But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and command I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. … Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them – that is why he brought all this disaster on them.” God means business when we worship ourselves and reject His Word.

    3 min read
  • God is the Light – Pathways to Organization

    As it turned out, He was prepared to do just that through another king, one who was a ‘man after his own heart’ (I Samuel 13:1), King David, and later his own son, Jesus. Action Plan We are now asking ourselves, “How do we move forward?” First, we follow our God, the Shephard, who cares for His bride, the church. We need to remember what God promised us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God will stand with us as we navigate this season of great sadness.

    4 min read
  • God is the Light – Pathways to Organization

    As it turned out, He was prepared to do just that through another king, one who was a ‘man after his own heart’ (I Samuel 13:1), King David, and later his own son, Jesus. Action Plan We are now asking ourselves, “How do we move forward?” First, we follow our God, the Shephard, who cares for His bride, the church. We need to remember what God promised us in Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God will stand with us as we navigate this season of great sadness.