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How to experience Thanksgiving in three tenses

How to experience Thanksgiving in three tenses

Last updated on: November 28, 2024 at 6:16 am by Jim Denison

How to experience Thanksgiving in three tenses 2024-11-28T06:16:19-06:00 Jim Denison

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If you’re like most Americans, your Thanksgiving meal today will include oven-roasted turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin or pecan pie. In previous generations, however, your table would have been laden with devilled turkey, oysters, boiled chestnuts, sweet potato balls, green bean pudding, vinegar pie, and cranberry wine.

While I’m partial to oysters, I’ll otherwise take our menu over theirs. At the same time, I’m not sure all progress is worthy of the name.

Dining rooms are disappearing, in large part due to the pandemic when such areas became classrooms, offices, and gyms. Since I’m terrible at balancing a plate on my knees, I’m glad our dining table is still available today.
More than half of those surveyed said they plan to eat out at a restaurant for their main holiday meal; 82 percent of those choosing to dine out do so to reduce the stress of preparing the meal. Since Janet does the cooking at our house (for culinary reasons and to protect the lives of our guests), I can’t speak to the latter fact. But I’m glad our family will have time together undistracted by a crowded restaurant.
More than a third of Americans will watch football today. While this sport-spectating tradition dates back to 1876, the game is more popular around the world than ever. I’m a lifelong football fan, but I’m glad Janet will make us pause the game for the family meal (especially if the Cowboys are losing).

Here’s another way I hope we’ll go back to our past: while Thanksgiving these days is all about food, football, and frenzied shopping, its antecedents were anything but.

“A profound and heartfelt gratitude to God”

Billy Graham writes:

The Pilgrim Fathers who landed at Plymouth to settle in what became the United States of America can teach us an important lesson about giving thanks.

During that first long winter, seven times as many graves were made for the dead as homes were made for the living. Seed, imported from England, failed to grow, and a ship that was to bring food and relief brought instead thirty-five more mouths to feed but no provisions. Some Pilgrims caught fish, and others hunted wildfowl and deer. They had a little English flour and some Indian corn.

Yet William Brewster, rising from a scanty dinner of clams and water, gave thanks to God “for the abundance of the sea and the treasure hid in the sand.”

According to today’s standards, the Pilgrims had almost nothing, but they possessed a profound and heartfelt gratitude to God for his love and mercy.

Their example reminds us that thanksgiving depends not on what we have but on being grateful for what we have. Not only are we called to “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, my emphasis); we are also told to “give thanks for everything to God the Father” (Ephesians 5:20 NLT, my emphasis).

How can we be grateful “for everything”?

“When I fall, I shall rise”

On Monday, we focused on what Jesus did for us in the past by purchasing our salvation. In response to his sacrifice, we are called to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise” to God (Hebrews 13:15).

On Tuesday, we explored what Jesus is doing for us in the present as he prays for us, heals us, guides us, and meets our needs by his grace. When we remember such provision, we are moved to present-tense gratitude even in the hardest places of life:

“The Lᴏʀᴅ is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer … I call upon the Lᴏʀᴅ, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:2–3).
“The Lᴏʀᴅ is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lᴏʀᴅ is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalm 27:1 NLT).
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3–4).

Yesterday, we considered what Jesus will do for us in the future. He will take us to be with him in heaven one day (John 14:3); in the meantime, he will lead us into his “perfect” will (Romans 12:2) and redeem all he allows for his glory and our good (Romans 8:28).

We can therefore say with the prophet: “When I fall, I shall rise; when I sit in darkness, the Lᴏʀᴅ will be a light to me” (Micah 7:8). And we can pray with Henri Nouwen:

Even when it seems that things are not going my way, I know that they are going your way and that in the end your way is the best way for me. O Lord, strengthen my hope, especially when my many wishes are not fulfilled. Let me never forget that your name is Love.

“Thanksgiving is what you do”

Across this Thanksgiving week, I’ve been thinking about Tim Keller’s observation:

“It’s one thing to be grateful. It’s another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do.”

For all Christ has done, for all he is doing, and for all he will do, what will you “do” in response today?

NOTE: On this Thanksgiving Day, I want to express my gratitude to all who read the Daily Article and to all who partner with us financially to make our ministry possible. It is a wonderful privilege to share this calling with you each day. “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you” (Philippians 1:3).

Thursday news to know:

*Denison Forum does not necessarily endorse the views expressed in these stories.

Quote for the day:

“Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.” —Robert Louis Stevenson

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