The Power of a Thankful HeartSýnishorn

 Thanksgiving: A Memorial to Reality  

  Memorializing significant events with ceremony and tradition is dear to the heart of God — He wants us to remember. The Israelites were commanded to actively remember numerous historical moves of God through commemorative celebration — some solemn and some jubilant. For example, the Sabbath was and is to be remembered and kept holy every week from Friday evening to Saturday evening. “Yom Kippur” both recalls and is still the Day of Atonement while “Rosh Hashanah” is the celebration of the Jewish New Year. “Purim” is another Jewish holiday and it remembers the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, as recounted in the Book of Esther. There are other significant observances mandated by God as well, leading us to the conclusion that He does not want us to passively forget His goodness, but rather, actively remember it like the Jewish people. 

There are events in the New Testament which are memorialized as well such as what we have come to call, “The Lord’s Supper.” Originally, it was instituted at a Passover Seder, or the commemorative meal that celebrated “Passover.” Also, a Jewish high holy day, it honors the passing over of death to all first-born throughout Egypt and Israel’s liberation from their slavery. Jesus Himself commanded His followers to memorialize the event saying, “…do this in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19, NIV).  In Mark 14 we read of a woman who performed a beautiful act of love and worship. Jesus was so moved by her heart that when some were indignant at her extravagance, He declared that her act should be memorialized, replying in Verse 9, “Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her” (NKJV).

Similarly, both the holiday of Thanksgiving, and a thankful heart memorialize the reality that God lives, that He is good, and that He does good things. At the Thanksgiving table it is common for family members to each share something that they are thankful for — and this is good. But we also must remember and commemorate the reality of who we are thankful to, for all we are thankful for.