Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings and give God thanks for all that God has done and provided for us. We celebrate with family and friends, thanking God for all that we enjoy. Giving thanks is a healthy practice and an important spiritual discipline. And it is an easy and joyful thing to do when we have much for which to be thankful.
But the old saying goes, "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched!" Our prayers and celebrations of thanks tend to focus on what we've already enjoyed, what we've already accomplished, and what we currently have. We'll be sure to thank God when tomorrow's uncertainties, difficulties and challenges work out to our benefit. But until then, we'll work to guard against failure and plan to cover the possibility of a worst case scenario.
Scripture invites us to be thankful not just for what we have and enjoy, but to be thankful in prayer all the time. It seems risky to thank God for what we have not yet witnessed or experienced. What if...
