This Thursday, many in this country will celebrate the holiday we call Thanksgiving. Many will enjoy visiting with loved ones, good friends, good food, good conversation, football games, the traditional post-meal nap, and other things that have come to be dear to many.

In some homes, great emphasis will be placed on the giving of thanks—as the holiday’s name indicates. At some tables, a prayer of thanksgiving will be offered for the bounty about to be enjoyed. Indeed, we ought to be thankful for the many blessings we enjoy!

However, in too many homes, the traditional thanksgiving meal has come to be the only day in which thanksgiving is offered around the table. Unfortunately, few families sit around the table to eat together, let alone, pray together. This is a tragic state of affairs!

The Bible says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6). Regarding food, we learn that God created all foods to “be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:3). Examples abound in the Bible of thankfulness being expressed for the basic necessity of food (Matthew 15:36; Luke 22:19; John 6:23; Acts 27:35; Romans 14:6, etc.). Thus, we should always be thankful for our food—every day of our lives (cf. Luke 11:3).

Furthermore, we have many other things in our lives for which we ought to be thankful for on a daily basis—God’s word (Colossians 2:6-7); God’s grace (2 Corinthians 4:15; 9:15); spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3); heaven (1 Corinthians 15:57); the generosity of others (2 Corinthians 9:10-15); friends, family, brethren and loved ones (2 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Timothy 2:1; Philippians 1:3).

Beyond any doubt, we have a bounty of blessings. Let us come to acknowledge God as the source of all good things in our lives and give Him thanks daily—not just on Thanksgiving Day.