Thanksgiving 1

Colossians 2:6, 7 "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving."   

Abounding in grumbling may be the more accurate phrase to describe of the world's disposition of late. We’ve all grumbled about the weather, traffic, leaves, the terrorists attacks and a myriad of other things. None of this grumbling, however, has been constructive. And, most importantly, it’s been sinful, because grumbling can't change anything.

To help combat this steady bombardment of grumbling get your family together for a time of thanksgiving. You’ve probably practiced this exercise many times as well: go from person-to-person and highlight things you’re thankful for (it’s tough to grumble when you pause to consider the many blessings in your life).
 
All will voice gratitude for God generally, but most will fail to highlight specific attributes of God that cause them to “abound in thanksgiving" to Him. Ask yourself this question: “What is it about God that I am most grateful for?”

Maybe it's the fact of His providence—the fact that He orchestrates everything in my life for His glory and my good. It’s the promise of Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

Indeed, all of our circumstances God uses as a means of our sanctification. We began to abound in thanksgiving as we visualize God as the great conductor over our circumstances, using them as an instrument for our growth in grace.
 
This Thanksgiving holiday I want my family to be “abounding in thanksgiving.” And for this to happen I know being thankful for God in a merely general sense will not suffice. We'll need to meditate on some particular glories of our great God; not least of which is His sweet providence over our lives. For this I am most grateful.

Take a moment this Thanksgiving and ask yourself, “What specific attribute of God am I grateful for?” Perhaps you’ll recall His love or mercy or grace or forgiveness or patience or wrath or providence. Challenge your mind to meditate on, and prayerfully consider, some particular glory of God as a means of abounding in thanksgiving