Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 106:1

For many people in the United States, this is a time of Thanksgiving. I hope so.

It's been many years ago that I heard the story of one such thankful family. As they gathered around the table that was groaning under the weight of turkey and trimmings, they made it a practice to pray.

Oh, they always prayed as a family, but the Thanksgiving Day prayer was different.

On Thanksgiving Day, starting with the eldest, each person expressed some personal appreciation to the Lord for His hand in his life. Of course, they were a practical lot, and not wishing the food to get cold, they condensed their words. Someone would say, "I'm thankful for health." Another would add, "I'm thankful for family."

Everybody understood the rule -- except their five-year-old.

As this was his first year to really get involved, he came armed. First, he gave thanks for mom who had cooked the turkey and dad who had brought it home from the store.

So far, so good.

But the boy wasn't done. He gave thanks for the grocery checker, who had rung up the bird, and the store, which had sold the bird, and the company, which had prepared the bird, and the farmer, who had raised the bird.

The lad had the life of that turkey covered with thanksgiving.

When he came up for air, he asked, "Did I forget anybody?"

His older brother replied, "The only person you left out was God."

And the five-year-old replied, "I was just getting to Him." And the Lord was thanked.

It is a sadness that there are many people who will never -- not on Thanksgiving Day, not on any day -- get around to thanking the Lord. No thanks for earthly blessings, no thanks for preservation. No thanks for the Savior who has, with His great sacrifice, forgiven us, redeemed us, and invited us into heaven where Thanksgiving Day will be every day.

From all of us at Lutheran Hour Ministries, a most blessed and Christ-filled day of official thanks.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the Psalmist says, "O give thanks to the Lord for He is good." Dear Lord, You are far better than good. In Your love -- Your bounty and Your blessings are beyond compare and imagining. Today, officially, I give thanks in Jesus' Name. Amen.

In Christ I remain His servant and yours,

Today's Bible Readings: Ezekiel 24-26    1 Peter 2

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