Matt’s mouth watered as he stared at all the food laid out on the dining room table. A plate filled with slices of ham and turkey sat near one end of the table where his grandparents sat. Steam rose from bowls of mashed potatoes, corn, and beans set in the center of the long table near his parents and aunts and uncles. He, Abby, and his cousins sat on their hands as they stared at the basket of warm rolls that had been placed at their end of the table.
When all of his family members finally went silent, Matt’s dad said, “Let’s pray.”
Matt bowed his head and folded his hands, hoping his dad would make this a short prayer so that he could eat.
His dad’s voice filled the room, “Our Father in Heaven, we gather together as a family to thank thee for the bounty that thou has blessed us with this year. Our table has been filled with thy goodness.”
Matt thought about all the food on the table. God really had blessed them with a lot of food this year. He thought about all the picking they’d had to do in their garden and all the jars of corn, beans, and tomatoes that his mom had spent hours canning. The bowls of corn and beans on the table were from their garden.
“Thou hast given us strength in this year to work in the jobs that thou has placed us.”
Matt remembered all the chores his dad had given him that year. He’d helped plant, weed, water, and pick the garden. It hadn’t seemed like a lot, but God had used it to put food on their table. Maybe all those chores had done some good.
“Finally, we thank thee for the family members around this table. Thou hast placed each of us in this family to care for each other.”
Matt nudged his sister Abby’s foot under the table. She could be a pain at times, but she was nice to have around when he needed help with his homework.
“Amen.”
At the last word, Matt’s head shot up. His mom smiled at him. “Corn?” She asked, picking up the bowl. He nodded furiously and held up his plate.
Questions to think about:
- Read Philippians 4:6 by yourself or with your parents. What does this say about thankfulness?
- This Thanksgiving, what are you thankful for?