A Challenge and Prayer for Thanksgiving

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Dear Friends in Christ,

In early autumn of 1621, the 53 surviving Pilgrims joined with about 90 Native Americans and celebrated their successful harvest, as was the English custom. That 1621 celebration is remembered as the "First Thanksgiving in Plymouth." To them, a Day of Thanksgiving was purely religious. 

Just the word “Thanksgiving” prompts the spirit of humility. Genuine gratitude to God for God’s mercy. God’s abundance. God’s protection. God’s smile of favor. This Thursday, as we gather around the tables of Thanksgiving, let’s take time to count our blessings - to give thanks. Here are a few questions that might guide our discussions around the table.

  • What’s the best Thanksgiving memory? 

  • What do you enjoy most about Thanksgiving? 

  • What was the best experience of the year? 

  • If we could thank one person today for their influence on our life, who would that person be?

  • For what do you feel most grateful to God today?

A Thanksgiving Challenge

Thanksgiving has become the beginning of the Christmas season. Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Son of God. Yet, our society has made it a time of extravagant excess. 

While Thanksgiving should be a time of truly counting our blessings, it has become a time of overeating on Thursday and overspending on Friday. This year let’s start a counterculture of truly making Thanksgiving a time to remember our blessings and show gratitude to others. This Thanksgiving let’s give away to those who are hungry as much as we spend on the meal we will consume. On “black” Friday, the biggest retail day of the year, let’s stay home. Or if the “SALE” is just too tempting, make an offering on Sunday matching what we spend on Friday. 

As we approach Christmas, let’s remember it’s not our birthday, it’s Jesus’ birthday. Several years ago, Adam Hamilton challenged his congregation to match every dollar spent on our Christmas gifts, parties, and vacations, with a gift of equal proportion to the work of Christ through the church. Wow! Do you think we could do that? 

I know that staying home on “black” Friday and giving away as much as we spend this holiday season is radical. Such generosity is almost as radical as the words of Jesus. Imagine for a moment, if we gave away as much as we spent during Christmas, we would need to reorder and reprioritize our lives. 

I think this is just the change that Jesus wants for all of us – change that brings real life.   

A Confederate Soldier’s Prayer (author unknown)
I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things.
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed. 

A Prayer for Thanksgiving 
Great God of Heaven and earth, thank you for all the goodness you've poured into our lives. Help us see the good in life and may we be multipliers of that goodness with those around us. Take our lives and let them be consecrated, Lord, to thee. Amen.


Have a blessed Thanksgiving. Know that I am praying for you in this holy season. 

Pastor John Allen