Christmas decorations were being put up in many stores before Halloween. And ‘black Friday’ began on Wednesday, the week before Thanksgiving this year at many fine retail outlets. Wow! At this pace, Christmas will be here by the weekend! 

So, this Thursday we will slow down a bit, at least for a few hours to celebrate Thanksgiving - a time when we enjoy family gatherings, good eats and football. There will be the cursory ‘thanksgiving’ for the blessings in our lives, for family and friends, for those that have gone before us to secure the freedoms we enjoy, for the soldiers not able to be with their families, etc… But at 4:00p.m., the malls open back up and many will leave the comfort of home to capitalize on more ‘black Friday’ sales on Thursday.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. – John 3:16. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. – John 8:36. We serve a freedom loving God. He sent His servant Moses to stand up to the Pharaoh in Egypt and say, “Let My people go.” And the Exodus was on. He sent His Son to stand up against the devil, put death to sin and walk out of the tomb. People were no longer slaves to sin but could walk in the Spirit of sonship (Rom.8:15). I believe that it is in the Spirit of the Exodus and sonship that our Founding Fathers stood against the tyranny of the English, securing freedom other nations long for. And “a day of SOLEMN THANKSGIVING to GOD” was made official with a proclamation by George Washington in 1789 to set a day aside for giving thanks for the freedoms, that “by His Providence”, we enjoy.

I am thankful for the freedom Jesus the Christ granted to all who believe in Him through His sinless life, obedience to the point of death, even death on a cross and His resurrection from the dead. Click HERE to view a short video on being thankful for Jesus. Please feel free to share it as you are led. And best wishes from my family to yours for a blessed Thanksgiving.

Prayer guide: Lord, thank You for freedom granted through Your Son. Instead of thanking You Lord for freedoms granted, I too often take freedoms for granted. Forgive me. I embrace fully that You walked this earth, lived a sinless life, obeyed Your Father to the point of death, even death on a cross. You walked out of the tomb, appeared to the disciples and many others before ascending to Your Father. By Your grace, I no longer walk as a slave to sin but in the freedom You offer. I am thankful for You Jesus. Help me convey that well to all the family gathered together this Thanksgiving. Amen.

A faithful father is thankful for freedom in Jesus the Christ.