Hello and welcome to Meditation Time.
My name is James Whittaker.
Thanksgiving Day marks an annual celebration of family and food.
But for Christians,
Thanksgiving has a much deeper meaning that goes to the core of our beliefs.
The Bible has many references to the act of giving thanks and how we should do it.
The most important display of Thanksgiving should be in reverence to God for all his blessings to mankind through his son Jesus Christ.
Believers should keep God at the forefront of their holiday celebrations as they acknowledge their faith.
We've all heard the famous saying,
Actions speak louder than words.
This makes it a perfect time to encourage your church,
Ministry and family to put their faith into action,
To help the less fortunate and to renew your spiritual connection to God.
Today we are going to spend some time thanking God for everything he has given us.
We will put our minds forward to the coming year and find ways to express our thanks to God by passing on his greatest gift,
Love.
Let's start with prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for all the ways you have blessed our lives.
Thank you for sending your son to die on the cross to redeem us.
This is the greatest gift ever given.
Please give us the strength to move forward showing love to all those who cross our path.
Calm our hearts,
Calm our minds and calm our breath.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
We are now going to deeply focus on our breath.
Start by just being with your breath.
In and out.
Don't change anything yet.
Just focus on where you feel it and how it feels.
For instance,
On the space between your nose and your mouth,
Is the air cold or is the air warm?
Just settle into these thoughts.
Okay,
Now we are going to make our breath a little more even and balanced.
Please follow along.
In through your nose,
Long and deep.
Out through your mouth,
Long and slow.
In through your nose,
Long and deep.
Out through your mouth,
Long and slow.
Gently close your eyes.
In through your nose,
Long and deep.
Out through your mouth,
Long and slow.
In through your nose,
Long and deep.
Out through your mouth,
Long and slow.
Let your breathing return to its normal rhythm.
If you find yourself distracted during the meditation,
You can return to this breath practice.
As the music continues,
I am going to read through a selection of verses about Thanksgiving.
After that's done,
Continue to listen to the music and make your own prayer of Thanksgiving.
Just put your heart fully into thanking God for everything.
After praying,
Just stay relaxed and let your mind focus on ways to show the love of God to others.
1 Thessalonians 5 16-18 Rejoice always,
Pray continually,
Give thanks in all circumstances,
For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 2 6-7 As you therefore have been received by Christ Jesus the Lord,
So walk in him,
Rooted and build up in him and established in faith,
As you have been taught abounding in it with thanksgiving.
James 1 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above,
Coming down from the Father of heavenly lights,
Who does not change like shifting shadows.
1 Chronicles 16 34 O give thanks to the Lord,
For he is good,
For his steadfast love endures forever.
Psalm 107 1-3 O give thanks to the Lord,
For he is good,
For his steadfast love endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
2 Corinthians 9 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.
Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Romans 15 Let's close in prayer.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the time we were able to spend in your presence today.
Thank you again for the amazing gift of sending your Son.
As we go throughout this year,
Please be with us and guide us to new opportunities to show your love.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
I hope you all have an amazing day,
And over this holiday,
Remember the greatest gift ever given.
God bless.
