Pastor's Desk
What does Christian thanksgiving look like?
By Pastor Neil Wehmas
Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas in our culture calls us to a common purpose of giving thanks and praise unto our God most high. Thanks of course begins by realizing the abundance of God’s gifts to us.
Think of this in light of the Apostles’ Creed. The first article tells us that there is a creator. This means that God created you. Your eyes with which you are blessed to see so many wondrous and beautiful landscapes, flowers, buildings, even the very people in our lives. Your ears to hear a good joke, and following laughter. To hear people say “I love you” or sing beautiful music. Your nose with which you smell freshly cut grass, or fresh baked cinnamon rolls.
He provides everything that is needed for you to have sufficient clothing, a roof above your heads, plenty of food to eat, transportation to get from place to place, televisions and radios and computers to connect with the rest of the world. The list could go on and on, and for all of it. It is appropriate to give thanks. God provides all of these things to us, not out of any merit or worthiness in us, but out of divine fatherly goodness and mercy.
The second article of the creed tells us the remarkable story. Though, we know it to be true that we are sinners. We are aware of God’s commands to love one another as ourselves, to love God with all of our heart. We are aware that sin is not just in what you do and say, but also in what we think. Our sinfulness runs deep. Yet, our God is a jealous God. He promises punishment for sinners. The wages of sin is in fact death.
So, in this wretched state, what hope can there be? Well, that is the remarkable story. God looked at our situation and made the choice to become human flesh. He was born of a young teenage girl named “Mary” in the little town of Bethlehem. His name of course being Jesus. Jesus was born to redeem you and I from sin, death, and hell. He did this not through an exchange of gold or silver or cash or a winning lottery ticket. For you see, none of these things would be sufficient. Instead he purchased and redeemed you with his very bloody agony and death by Roman crucifixion. By his wounds, you are healed, forgiven, and restored to a proper relationship with God.
The third article of the creed tells us that the Holy Christian Church scattered throughout the world, is the means by which God’s salvation is proclaimed. Repentance and the forgiveness of sins is preached in churches around our world. We are blessed to receive such great gifts as baptism, by which we are marked for salvation. We are blessed to receive such great gifts as the Lord’s Supper, which is the very body and very blood of Jesus Christ which is mysteriously united to bread and wine. Yes, indeed we are blessed with the privilege of uniting to God and heaven itself at his altar.
As you can see, we have very much for which to give thanks. With that in mind, how does one give thanks unto God? Do we share or post something to Facebook or a TikTok video? While this isn’t a terrible idea, there is more that we can do.
There are a few things we can do in order to give thanks to our God:
- Attend worship, receive holy communion, pray to God.
- Spend time outside of formal worship, reading the scriptures and praying to God. Prayers of thanks and prayers for others.
- Tell others about what God has done for them. Spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the world.
- Support the work of the church with time and treasures. Support by giving financially to the ministry of your congregation as well as other ministries around the world. Give your time by volunteering in various capacities around your church and other ministries.
As we approach yet another thanksgiving. As we think of the plans of our meals. As we even get closer to the start of 2026. May we never forget the abundance of great things that our God has done for us. I’d say that the pledge of the LWML adequately describes what thankfulness looks like:
In fervent gratitude for the Savior’s dying love and His blood-bought gift of redemption we dedicate ourselves to Him with all that we are and have; and in obedience to His call for workers in the harvest fields, we pledge Him our willing service wherever and whenever He has need of us. We consecrate to our Savior our hands to work for Him, our feet to go on His errands, our voice to sing Hi praises, our lips t o proclaim His redeeming love, our silver and our gold to extend His Kingdom, our will to do His will, and ever power of our life to the great task of bringing the lost and the erring into eternal fellowship with Him. Amen.
May this be the calling and dedication of all of our Lives. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Last Updated: 11/3/2025