The more I think about Thanksgiving, the more sacred the holiday becomes in my mind. Christmas and Easter are usually the holidays that get the most religious attention, and for good reason. The birth of Jesus marks the presentation of the complete, universal, and final sacrifice, pictured repeatedly for generations, in the sacrificial system of the Old Testament, for the sins of mankind. It represents the ultimate and most extravagant gift ever given to such undeserving recipients.
The Resurrection represents the final word and ultimate guarantee of eternal life to all those who believe. It is the validation of God’s acceptance of the sacrifice. On this historical fact the whole of Christian belief hinges.
What would those celebrations amount to in the absence of thanksgiving?
You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.
--Psalm 30:11-12
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