A thankful heart is a sacrifice.

I love thanksgiving , I love the family getting together, the turkey and all the trimmings that go with that. Not to mention the pie, and the caramelized apples… this year was no exception. The family members all came late to the dinner celebration, the turkey burned a little bit, the food was delicious and plentiful.. I was so full, but still had to have desserts. The kids were loud and ate too many sweets. But everything turned out just lovely and I am very thankful for another yummy Thanksgiving.

Grateful, thankful, appreciative.... are the words we use at Thanksgiving. Its good to be thankful, and we teach our children to do the same... but how do we know if it is really from the heart? I know that God does want thankfulness that is from the heart not just from our lips. There are so many things that I am thankful for each day, which means that everyday I should thank God for everything that He provides me with, not just on a Thanksgiving holiday. Here are some reminders for us from the scriptures…


I thank my God every time I remember you. {Philippians 1:3}

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
{Psalm 100:4}

..always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.. {Ephesians 5:20}

I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord. {Psalm 116:17}

So if thanksgiving is a sacrifice.... well that sure makes a clear picture doesn’t it? In the old testament they used to bring animals, or birds as a sacrifice to the Lord, now God doesn’t want that from us, now He wants a different type of sacrifice. A sacrifice of thanksgiving. An offering of our selves as a living sacrifice to God.

Even the angels will bring thanksgiving to the Lord as it is written in Revelations 7:11... all the angels stood round about the throne, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying Amen; Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever... Amen.