A Thanksgiving Reflection

by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD

            Perhaps at no other time during the year do we focus on giving gratitude than on Thanksgiving Day. While giving thanks is appropriate on this traditional national holiday, giving thanks can and should be a part of every single day.

            Scripture commands us to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving (Psalm 100:4). This means that the first step to entering God’s presence is to give thanks. The giving of thanks ushers us into the vestibule of Heaven and leads us to the edge of its courts. We then enter the courts of Heaven through praise.

            So thanksgiving precedes praise. In a very real sense, it prepares us for praise. Praise, in turn, puts us in the very midst of God’s presence because the Word tells us that the Lord inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3).

            But it all starts with giving thanks. 

            Giving thanks, moreover, is essential in nurturing our relationship with our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. If you are a parent, you understand how an expression of thanks from your child warms your heart, especially since such expressions may be the exception rather than the rule. You also understand how a complaint from your child disheartens you,  leaving you feeling sad and discouraged. So it is with our Heavenly Father. When we thank Him, we warm His heart. When we complain, we hurt Him.

            Determine today that you will make the giving of thanks a priority not only in your relationship with God but also in your relationships with others. Let your expressions of gratitude be a balm to the downcast soul and an elixir of life to your own. Most of all, let your thanksgiving be a sweet fragrance rising up continually to our Heavenly Father, filling Him with joy and delight.         

© 2011 by MaryAnn Diorio, PhD.

Dr. MaryAnn Diorio is a widely published, award-winning author of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Her latest book, You Were Made for Greatness!, is available as an e-book on Amazon, Smashwords, and other Kindle venues. You may contact MaryAnn through her website at www.maryanndiorio.com