The origin of this celebration (which is different than the American thanksgiving) was a very thankful explorer and his team in the 1500's. Sir Martin Frobisher failed in his mission to find a passage to China, ending up in a northern territory of Canada. The crew's chaplain gave a stirring sermon about being thankful to God for the blessing of their lives after all the potentially deadly voyage they survived. (www.edmontonjournal.com)
The official thanksgiving weekend was declared by Canada Parliament in 1957 as "a day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed." (www.edmontonjournal.com)
What an incredible and powerful holiday to incorporate into the yearly calendar!
Unfortunately many people have lost this sense of direction; celebrating the food, friends, family and sport without giving glory to the source for all these blessings.
Taking the day off work for this tradition served me as a great reminder for all that I am thankful to God for. Our Almighty God has given us so much; a compilation of which would quickly become bigger than any book I have ever read.
The ultimate thank you must go out to God for giving us the gift of His son, Jesus Christ. Jesus was perfect and yet He chose to die on the cross to restore the broken relationship with our creator and offer us a new freedom.
This gift is purely out of love, because we have no cause to deserve it, and is available for any of us to take hold of if we believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord.
If you were to sit around a family meal is this what you would thankful for? Have you made the decision to believe and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour?
This is the most important decision of all our lives and yet just as the thanksgiving is coming out of the holiday so is the reality of life after death.
Whether it's the second Monday in October and you're in Canada celebrating thanksgiving or just another day at the office at any time of the year please pause each day to be thankful for something.
And if you haven't made the decision to follow the Lord (your saviour) for the rest of your days please pause and do so now. It is the biggest and best gift we will ever receive and whatever is holding you back now will have nothing to answer for in the light of eternity.
Wherever you are and whatever you are doing please join with me in being thankful for what we do have and then continue to do so in the face of trouble and hardship.
Tim Wilson is married with two children who served with YWAM for five years in Brisbane and now serving in mission in Canada.
Tim Wilson's archive of articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/tim-wilson.html