Have you noticed the flood of software, apps, and tools designed to help us remember things? I gladly use many of them. They remind me of birthdays, anniversaries, important events, and even my daily schedule. If we’re honest, most of us need help remembering.
The Apostle Peter understood this well. He knew that we forget—even truths we’ve known for years and practices we’ve repeated many times. Sometimes reminding isn’t simply about recalling something we forgot. Sometimes it’s about stirring something that has grown cold, much like stirring hot coals in a campfire to reignite the flame.
Peter wrote, “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have.” — 2 Peter 1:12
God has always known our tendency to forget. That’s why He built reminders into our lives. He gave us the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with Noah—a promise that He would never again flood the entire earth. When you see a rainbow, does it remind you of the grace of God and His faithfulness to keep His promises?
God also gave His people special days and observances to remind them of His love, His mercy, and His power to deliver. One of the clearest examples is Passover:
“In honor of the Lord your God, always celebrate the Passover at the proper time in early spring, for that was when the Lord your God brought you out of Egypt by night… Eat it with bread made without yeast… Eat this bread—the bread of suffering—so that you will remember the day you departed from Egypt as long as you live.” — Deuteronomy 16:1–3
These reminders were never meant to be empty rituals. They were designed to stir gratitude, humility, and remembrance of what God had done.
This week, we celebrate Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is not a day God directly commanded His people to observe. It was a day established by the leaders of our nation. Do you realize how remarkable that is? Can you imagine our national leaders today setting aside a day to thank the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—to thank our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the freedom we enjoy and the ability to worship Him openly?
That would not happen today.
The fact that Thanksgiving still exists—despite increasing cultural resistance to Christianity—is nothing short of miraculous. It also reveals how deeply the early leaders of our nation loved and honored God. Even though I shared these words yesterday, they are worth reading again:
“…It is therefore recommended… to set apart Thursday… for solemn thanksgiving and praise; that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their divine benefactor… through the merits of Jesus Christ…”
So how can we make Thanksgiving more meaningful unto God?
Could you plan a moment during your Thanksgiving Day—even just a few minutes—to read a Scripture verse or a short historical reflection? Especially if there are others present who may not share your beliefs, keep it brief—but let it be sincere. Remind those gathered how miraculous the creation of this day truly was, and acknowledge that it could not have happened without the hand of God moving upon the hearts of men.
Then pray. Give God genuine thanks. Ask Him to help our nation return to Him. Prepare for it. Keep it simple—but make it heartfelt.
It matters. It reaches the heart of God—and it will quietly affect the hearts of those with you.
“Cry out, ‘Save us, O God of our salvation! Gather and rescue us from among the nations, so we can thank Your holy name and rejoice and praise You.’” — 1 Chronicles 16:35 (NLT)
