So, did you know that 67% of Americans will serve turkey tomorrow? About 15% will serve ham, and the rest something else entirely — roast beef, seafood, lasagna, maybe even tofu. But it’s not the food; it’s the focus that matters on Thanksgiving. It’s about where your gratitude goes. At its heart, Thanksgiving is worship. It is focusing our gratitude and lifting it to the One who is BEHIND EVERY GOOD DEED.

In Abraham Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation, he points out that our gratitude goes not to man ultimately, but to a righteous God. He states, “No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gift of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.”

It is the book of James that states this clearly. Some 1,800 years prior to Lincoln’s proclamation, it says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights.” (James 1:17) Gratitude is worship, and Thanksgiving has the right focus when it acknowledges the source — when we trace every good gift not just to a moment, a person, or an opportunity, but to the giver of all good things. And that giver is our good God.

He truly is a good, good Father. That’s who He is. At Lutheran Church Charities, we want this focus of gratitude as we consider the amazing things that happen in our ministry every day, which is why I selected our 12/31 campaign theme title, BEHIND EVERY GOOD DEED.

I’m truly grateful not just for the good deeds, but for the stories behind each and every one of those good deeds.

A volunteer who gave their time.
A donor who made ministry possible.
A staff member who answered the call.
A congregation that opened its doors.
And at the heart of it all, behind every good deed is JESUS.

He’s the reason we give. He’s the One we serve. He’s the source of all the love, comfort, and care we share. So, join with me on this Thanksgiving Eve and worship.

Let’s praise God, from whom all blessings flow — not just with your voice, but with your heart, your life, and the way you show up tomorrow and every day after.

Prayer
Lord, You are truly worthy to be worshiped and praised, not just with songs but with grateful hearts. Help us to recount each and every gift back to You, the giver of all grace. Receive our worship, our work, and our thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.