Six Verses to Read Before Your Thanksgiving Meal

Each and every day we should give thanks to the Lord.

Here are six Bible passages to read aloud before you enjoy your Thanksgiving meal. Or, they can be a good reminder on any day to be thankful for all of our blessings. God has given to us abundantly and should be praised for His wondrous deeds and overflowing love.

Dr. Chris Rappazini, Moody Bible Institute professor, encourages us to give thanks to Jesus in this special Today in the Word devotional, “Jesus is not just someone to be appreciated because of the things He has done, He is to receive thanks and praise because of who He is, the Savior of the world.”

Everything we have to be thankful for in this world comes from God. He is the creator of all things good. He loves us abundantly, and deserves our thanksgiving not just on this one day … but every day!

As we set aside this day to be thankful, let us also spend the day asking Him to teach us to be continually thankful. Read each of these six verses aloud, as the day begins or before enjoying your Thanksgiving dinner. If you are able to gather with children or grandchildren, give them each one verse and take turns looking them up in their Bible and reading them aloud. Together, let’s give thanks to our heavenly Father from whom all blessings flow!

Give thanks for who God is!

In the Psalms, we read many celebrations of God’s goodness.
Read Psalm 100:1–5 aloud and “shout for joy” to the maker of the heavens and the earth. The Psalmist says that entering the presence of God is reason enough to give thanks!

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Give thanks for the blessings God has given us!

Read James 1:17. James recognizes that everything we have belongs to God He is the good Father who has given us so many blessings, and Thanksgiving is a good day to pause and remember the One from whom all blessings flow!

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Give thanks during difficult seasons.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18. Do we give thanks during hard times? Maybe COVID has left you discouraged. It is during these times when we are told to “rejoice”—not for the hard times themselves, but for the God who is present with us, even when we walk through difficult seasons.

The apostle Paul writes, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Give thanks for fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

Read 1 Corinthians 1:4–9. Paul gave thanks for the fellow believers who had prayed with him and for him, supporting him as he preached the gospel. Today, give thanks for those people who have supported you in your own faith journey. Name them aloud, and thank God for their role in your life.

“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.”

Give thanks for God’s great love and faithfulness.

Read Lamentations 3:22–24.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; 
great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.’”

Give thanks always!

Read Philippians 4:4–7. When should we give thanks? Always! “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.®