Thanksgiving Gives Glory To God

All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory. (2 Corinthians 4:15 NLT)

My favorite holiday has always been Thanksgiving. The extended family, including great aunts, uncles, and cousins, would gather at my grandparent’s home to celebrate. They extended the dining room table using plywood and sawhorses to hold over fifty.

We had lunch and dinner there, and it was a grand celebration. Our Thanksgiving celebration centered on family and the joy of being together.

If you were to ask me, I would say the most American holiday is Thanksgiving. It started with a group of Christians we call Pilgrims that came to America to experience the freedom to freely worship God.

The very first Thanksgiving celebration was multi-racial. It included the only other race of people in the area, the Native Americans.

This year, I would like you to stop and contemplate what the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth. He talks about God’s grace reaching more and more people.

What does that mean, reaching more and more people? He is talking about more and more people becoming Christians through the believers in Corinth sharing the Good News.

As this happens, thanksgiving to God increases. This increase in thanksgiving gives God more and more glory.

Imagine the impact this has on the area surrounding Corinth. What would happen if this took place where you live? When believers share the Gospel, it expands grace as others become Christians.

Therefore, thanksgiving increases, giving God more glory. More believers than share the Gospel and more people become Christians and more believers are giving glory to God. It is a process that continuously feeds itself.

Remember this year, as you celebrate Thanksgiving, give thanks to God. Start now and continue throughout the year. Let God receive the glory that is His and His only.

But as you give thanksgiving to God, also make time to share the Good News, which we call the Gospel. Extend grace to more people, so there is more thanksgiving and God receives more and more glory.

Do this and the area you live in will change for a generation. Teach the next generation to do this and your area changes for two generations.

Prayer

Father, I come to you in thanksgiving for the tremendous grace you give me throughout the year. I thank you for your mercy and your love that endures forever. I commit myself to giving thanks to you all year. I also, today, make the commitment to share the Gospel as often as I can. Please open doors of opportunity for me to share the wonders of your great salvation. I want to be a part of you receiving more and more glory. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Additional Scriptures:

Psalm 107:1; 1 Chronicles 16:34; Isaiah 12:4-5; Psalm 95:1-5; Philippians 4:4-7; Colossians 3:15-17; Ephesians 5:18-20; Psalm 119:1-8