WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THANKSGIVING?

Though one may find it hard to believe, Thanksgiving Day will once again be upon us in mere hours. The festive holiday set aside many years ago for annual observance on the fourth Thursday of November is near, but just how many will pause to appreciate its true significance?

For example, the capital city of North Carolina, Raleigh, brought out floats, marching bands and dignitaries, etc., for all to enjoy during its superbly attended Christmas parade last weekend. Considering Thanksgiving has yet to arrive, much less the month of December in which Christmas actually falls, one might get the idea that the great city of Raleigh jumped the gun somewhat. Hence the question, whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

The National Football League, as it did the previous year, has slated a schedule of three games to be played consecutively beginning at 1:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and ending near the midnight hour when the purported day of thanks yields to the dawning chaos of Black Friday.

There have always been NFL games televised on Thanksgiving for as long as this writer can remember, but the 3-game schedule is a recent gamble by the league (and the networks) that most people will be intrinsically more interested in watching football than they will be in reflecting upon God's goodness in their lives. Again, whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

Speaking of Black Friday, shoppers have been inundated with advertisements from retailers promoting this supposed day on which the Christmas buying frenzy begins. However, weeks prior to Thanksgiving those same shoppers were being urged to take advantage of "pre-Black Friday" markdowns as if the arrival and subsequent departure of Thanksgiving Day could not be realized soon enough. I say, whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

Shopping malls, stores and retail outlets of every stripe that, for the almighty dollar, have flung wide their doors the entire year on each and every Sunday, the Lord's day, cannot find it within themselves to close their doors even on this one day to offer thanks to the One from whose hand they prosper, but One whose day is, oddly enough, routinely diminished. I repeat, whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

Will Thanksgiving be observed at your home, dear reader? Will you make the effort to "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise"? Will you determine in your heart during this season and throughout the year to "be thankful unto him, and bless his name" (Psalm 100:4)?

What follows are some very distinct blessings for which we can be thankful:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's" (Psalm 103:1-5).

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy" (Psalm 103:8).

"He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust" (Psalm 103:10-14).

In closing, let us remember the easy to quote yet hard to practice exhortation of Paul the apostle recorded in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Whatever happened to Thanksgiving? May an attitude of gratitude be found at your place and mine during these days. Happy Thanksgiving everyone and thanks for reading. David.