Sacred Holidays: A Devotional Leading Up To ThanksgivingSample

DAY ONE: 

Whether you are doing this plan to center your heart on the Lord this Thanksgiving, or simply because you want to learn more about gratefulness, I can guarantee that your perception on many things is about to improve! Let’s get started! 

When we choose to see the many ways God has provided for us in the past, it makes it really hard to be frustrated by the other ways we think he isn’t providing for us in this very moment. I notice this in my life all the time—if I choose to focus on what God has done and is doing, the thing I’m frustrated by is instantly put into perspective. 

Each day we will focus on a different thing to give thanks for, and today we will start with giving thanks to God Himself. Let’s start by simply acknowledging who He is, not just what He has done. 

Read Deuteronomy 10:21. Specifically praise God for all the great and yes, even the terrifying things He has done. 

God isn’t just who we praise, but He is our praise. He is everything. No doubt there are many things you could look back on and say, “Only God.” I’m sure there were some close calls or other terrifying situations you just weren’t sure how they would go down. He is good, and worthy to be praised! 

Read Isaiah 63:7 and take a moment and specifically praise God for His steadfast love for you. 

Surely if you pause to think about God’s pursuit of you, you will see that your story is much like the Israelites--He loved you no matter what. No matter how many times you pushed Him aside, He loved you. No matter how many times you wanted Him to give you more, He loved you. No matter how many times you chose other things or people over Him, He loved you. His love is steadfast, firmly fixed, immovable. 

Read Exodus 15:2 and take a moment and thank God for being your strength. 

I’m sure there are many times you can look back and thank God for being your strength when you had none. I often say, “I can’t but God totally can!” One of my go to proclamations this past year has been from 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” Let’s choose His strength over our own! 

Finally, read Psalm 19:1. Praise God for all He has created. 

Romans 1:20 says, “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” I often find that when I am struggling to find something to be grateful for, all it takes is to step outside and take a look around. All that He has created proclaim how amazing He is! Let’s continue over the next week to give thanks to our God! 

For this devotional, we will use a song to wrap up our time together. We will use it as a way to find the words to sing back to God in gratitude.Psalm 95:2-3 says, “Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song...”

Today’s song recommendation is: So Will I (1OO Billion X) by Hillsong Worship.