Most people in the United States will celebrate Thanksgiving Day this week.  Though it has lost its true purpose for many of us and though some would like to take it off the calendar entirely, it is a wonderful thing that we still live in a country where a day of thanksgiving to the one true God can be celebrated.  We have much to be thankful for.

What is gratitude?  Is it simply a verbal expression of thanks?  That would be a good start.  In our culture of entitlement we tend to think we have a right to anything we need or want.  We don’t feel the need to give thanks for that which we consider our due.  True gratitude is more than words.  Here’s an example to explain what I mean.  I don’t see well enough to drive.  Public transportation sometimes doesn’t provide a way to get me where I need to go when I need to get there.  Suppose you respond to my request for help and give me a ride.  The least you will expect is verbal thanks.  Let’s suppose again that some time later you needed a little extra money to pay for gas.  You know that I most likely can spare the cash, but I turn you down.  How much was my gratitude really worth?  Even if you gave me your time and expense with no expectation of return, you’re probably going to be a bit less inclined to do so in the future.  True gratitude affects our actions.  We have been given many gifts, but the greatest gift by far is the life of the Son of God.  Jesus gave more than we can ever imagine to come as one of us to die for all of us.  True gratitude requires no less than our lives given freely to Him.  Learning what that means starts with a decision to do so and continues as long as we live.