Thanksgiving Week

"When you sacrifice a thank offering to the LORD, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning. I am the LORD." (Leviticus 22:29)

I've always liked Thanksgiving, but I haven't always enjoyed giving thanks. I love colder whether, football, leaves, turkey, family, pumpkin pie, sweaters. (No, this isn't a person ad.) I dig the day.

But the act of giving thanks doesn't come naturally all the time. We're going to spend this last week before T-Day looking at why the giving of thanks to God is a such a big deal to Him. Why does He care that we feel and give gratitude?

Notice, first, that God built a whole special offering for giving thanks to Himself right into the Law in Leviticus. It was a sacrifice, and it could be done in the right or the wrong way.

To give away gratitude is still a sacrifice; we have to do the work to get our minds in the right place. We have to change our perspective.

Think: Do you think there's a wrong way to say thank you to God (or anyone else)? Do you think there's a wrong attitude from which to say thank you?

Pray: Ask God to help you to want to be a grateful person. Ask Him to help you to be willing to do the work of giving thanks.

Do: Start a list today and plan to keep it around all the way through Thanksgiving Day. Write on it 10 specific things you're thankful to God for today.