Hunger for Thanksgiving

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. Hebrews 13:15

In a few short weeks, miles will be driven, relatives arriving, meals prepped, tables set, and feasting to commence. Thanksgiving – a special day set aside for gratitude as the center of our hearts and homes. For many, it is not just a meal, but cherished memories and traditions shared. This Thanksgiving will be bittersweet for my family, as it will be the first without our beloved Grandmother. Her presence will be greatly missed. I am grateful to know that she is feasting and offering up a sacrifice of thanksgiving in the presence of the King of Kings.

For me, the food and meal are extremely meaningful, but greater still is my heart’s focus. What does God desire of us on that day and everyday? David, a king after God’s own heart penned these verses, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors me; and to him who orders his way aright I shall show the salvation of God.” Earlier in the same chapter he boldly stated about God, “If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is Mine and all it contains.”  (Ps 50:12) “Offer to God a sacrifice of Thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High (Ps. 50:14) God hungers for a relationship with us and our hearts to worship Him.

God created man to worship. This was not so He could feast on my sacrifice or that it would be some ego trip of having all these people worshipping Him. To worship God is to offer up a sacrifice of thanksgiving. To offer to Him praise. To sing and communicate to Him out of the gratitude of my heart. To adore Him. It is understanding that relationship and fellowship is the core of God’s desire.

My view of God affects my attitude of gratitude and my commitment to worship Him. Do I come to the table in my relationship with Him and desire to offer Him a sacrifice of Thanksgiving? Do I come to the table to commune and fellowship with Him? The attitude of gratitude in my heart fulfills the hunger of my soul and God’s hunger for me. Thanksgiving is not just a season or a day of feasting. It is an attitude of the heart which impacts my everyday.

Hunger For Thanksgiving
Gratitude. Sacrifice. Worship.

What does a sacrifice of Thanksgiving look like for me? How do I worship God in my dailyness?