Does your family have any traditions that include thanking God for what He's given you and giving back to others? I think Thanksgiving used to be a time of meaningful thanks to God, but it's become a stress-filled day where we think everything has to be perfect. We cook up a storm while our family gathers to watch football and yell at screens. Do we take the time to sit down together, hold hands, and share what we're thankful for before we pray? I'll confess that our family has not.
In Deuteronomy 16, it says to set up ways to remember times when God rescued you. Make ways to ensure your children never forget. Make it a tradition in your family and invite others to participate. Regularly thank God for the harvest and give Him voluntary offerings. Invite others to give gifts to the Lord in thanks and gratitude. Make sure you uphold justice always. Don't you dare worship other gods or confuse people about who to worship.
This year at our Thanksgiving celebrations, I want to ask my family to share their thanks for times God's rescued us. I want our children to hear us repeat the stories of God's faithfulness to us. Do my children know about the time I had $9 to buy enough groceries to feed myself for a week? Do they know how I wandered around the store for two hours, trying to figure out how to get the most nutritional value out of what I could afford? Do they know what a miracle it is today that I can buy whatever I want when I go to the grocery store?
I want to make it a tradition in our family to give something back to others. I had no money for food. Maybe we should celebrate what we have by helping out in a soup kitchen or going to the grocery store together to buy food for a family in need.
Earlier this year, I identified a two false gods I'd been serving: people-pleasing and comfort. God hates idols so much, and yet I'd been blindly bowing down to mine for years. I was full of fear. It seeped into every area of my life and held me in chains. When God opened my eyes to see them clearly, I smashed them. I pulverized every last piece, but it was through the fear. The fear was still there. As I took small steps of faith each day, God removed the fear little by little. I prayed over and over for God to release me from it completely. There's still a little bit there at the time of this writing, but I believe it's going to be gone soon and the only fear I'll have is fear of the Lord.
My heart is full of gratitude that the serpent of fear that was coiled around my neck, silencing me and keeping me locked up has been removed. I've written some pretty radical things and shaken some people up, and I've had to soften up my language a little because of how it's received (not out of an intention to hurt anyone). God has allowed me to experience His wild and free love and freedom, and I'm forever grateful.
I hope to never again confuse anyone as to who they should worship. Love the Lord your God and serve Him only. Period. Express your gratitude to Him. Tell everyone and invite them to do the same.
I invite you to take a minute to express your gratitude to God in the comments below. God is awesome and He's done great things for us. Let's share our stories.
