We have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday of historic significance in our country.

Someone has said, “If you’re waiting to win the lottery and you’re an American, quit waiting. You’ve already won.”

When we think of our many blessings from the material blessings of abundant food, shelter, clothing, and a multitude of natural resources and beauty, to our unparalleled freedoms in this country, we are blessed among the people of the world.

Our immigrant problem is due to millions of people who desire to share in what we have here, including the great opportunities. The Pilgrims came here for freedom of religion.

Christians are thankful for the priceless gifts of God – the forgiveness of sins and eternal life in heaven paid for by Jesus’ death on the cross – which the Bible says are available for everyone who turns from sin to receive them.

Christians are thankful for the Bible, which we believe is a supernatural book given by the inspiration and guidance of God. It is described as “the indestructible Book” because it has survived over the centuries even though it has had, and still has, numerous critics.

Christians are thankful for answered prayer, for local churches where we can worship, and for the opportunities to participate in the ministries to people within and outside the buildings where we meet.

We have many blessings in this region of Pennsylvania. I like to tell people when I visit cities around the country that our traffic problem is from Amish and Mennonite buggies much more than the hours spent in traffic elsewhere.

Getting together with families reminds us of some of our greatest blessings that come from mutual love. Friends and neighbors are also reasons to give thanks.

The good health we generally enjoy and the excellent health-care system (with all its faults) are reasons to give thanks. Opportunities for education in America are bountiful. Freedom to express a variety of opinions and beliefs in newspapers like this and in the rest of the media is also something for which we should be thankful.

The first responders, the police, and our military service members at home and around the world certainly give us reasons for thanksgiving.

The list of blessings could go on and on. The Pilgrims gave thanks in spite of experiencing great hardship. Presidents and governors have called for days of Thanksgiving both in times of war and peace.

Someone recently said that you can’t be bitter or angry when you are thankful. So the Bible invites us to thank God, the author of “every good and perfect gift.”

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)

This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 6:59 PM with the headline "We have much to be grateful for this Thanksgiving."