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A complete list of the things for which people today have to be thankful would be impossible, but we can identify a few items through which modern people are heirs of the goodness of God.

God has been good in caring for the physical needs of people. Norman V. Pearce, a blind person, reminded in a subtle way those who have sight that for which they have to be grateful:

I cannot see the moonlight on the sea,
But I can hear the waves beat on the shore;
I feast upon all nature’s melody
And thank my God and do not ask for more.18


The opportunity to earn a livelihood merits appreciation. For warm, comfortable clothing and homes and well-prepared food we should be grateful. For doctors, nurses, and wonder drugs, health and the healing process we have reason to be grateful.


God has been good in caring for social needs. For beaches, community clubs, television, duckhunting, organized sports, concerts -- people have reason to be grateful. For schools in which children may be educated we have reason for thanksgiving. Many people merit gratitude: friends, relatives, children, wife or husband.


One mature man has given a sound piece of advice which was written on his eighty-third birthday:

And so in looking at eighty-three
My final word to you, my friends, shall be:
Thank God for life; and when the gift’s withdrawn,
Thank God for twilight bell, and coming dawn.19


God has been good in caring for personal needs. The hour of personal happiness should be used for thanksgiving. Freedom and self-direction are causes for gratitude. The thanksgiving which should accompany achievement is well expressed in these lines by Ronald Ross, written after his discovery of the germ responsible for yellow fever.

This day relenting God
Hath placed within my hand
A wondrous thing; and God
Be praised.20


God has been good in caring for spiritual needs. For the Bible; the church, working in all parts of the world, healing, feeding, teaching, saving; the opportunity to be a Christian; the hope and the promise of eternal life; the Holy Spirit; and the Christ modern Christians have occasion to be thankful. But most of all and above everything and everyone, Christians should come to this thanksgiving season thankful to God for God himself.


As Joyce Kilmer put it:

Thank God for the bitter and ceaseless strife,
And the sting of His chastening rod!
Thank God for the stress and the pain of life,
And Oh, thank God for God!21


As you come to this season, may your turkey or chicken or pork chop be browned just right; may your pumpkin pie be the kind that mother used to make; but most important, may your life be filled with thanksgiving for the goodness of God.

Prayer


Almighty God, we come before You in thanksgiving for Your goodness to us. For the physical things with which You have surrounded us, we are grateful. For mountains, lakes, fields, and forests, we thank You. For food, warm homes and clothing, we are grateful. We thank You for medicines, modern methods of treatment, and healing powers of the human body. For the ability to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell we are thankful. For music, sports, hunting, fishing and swimming we give You our thanks.


For schools in which we may grow in understanding, for work that is satisfying, for husbands, wives, parents and children, we give You our thanks. For the justice, freedom and security we enjoy in this country we give You our thanks. For the privilege that is ours to fight hunger, disease, hate, fear and injustice, we are grateful.


For all which inspires and challenges us to higher living we are grateful. For the church of Jesus Christ we give You our thanks. Most of all we thank You for Yourself. For Your love and care of us we are grateful. For Your Spirit, through which You strengthen and sustain us, we thank You. For Jesus Christ, through whom Your redemption has been revealed, we give You our thanks.


Accept this our prayer of thanksgiving and enable us to become increasingly grateful for all Your goodness to us in the days ahead; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen