10 Verses to Read at Your Thanksgiving Table This Year

“This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

As you reflect on this verse, talk through how not only on Thanksgiving, but every day, we are called to rejoice and be glad in it. 

Ask: In what ways do you incorporate gratitude in your every day?

2. Colossians 3:16

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

As you read this verse, may it remind you of the importance of God’s Word as an anchor for our lives. He is the One who gives us wisdom, hearts to worship, and gratitude in our hearts.

Ask: How are you personally thankful for the Bible?

3. 2 Corinthians 9:11

“You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

Part of thankfulness is realizing all of the ways in which we have been blessed. How has God provided for you? What has he given to you? This might be physical provision, but it could even be a spiritual or emotional provision.

Ask: What has God blessed you with and how can you give to others generously and be thankful in it?

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“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

The love of God is forever. Jesus’ sacrifice for us is worth taking time to have gratitude in and celebrating. 

Ask: How are you thankful for Christ’s unending love?

5. Hebrews 13:15

"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”

We are called to bear fruit as believers in Christ. One of the ways to bear fruit is by using our words to glorify Him. We are invited to share and not stay silent about the great things Jesus has done. 

Ask: What are some ways that you want to brag on Christ for what He has done in your life recently or this year?

6. Psalm 69:30

"I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.”

One way to glorify God is song; another way to worship Him is by thankfulness. Gratitude is an opportunity of worship.

Ask: What are you thankful for and how can you give praise to God because of it?

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“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

To abound is to be plentiful. We are taught in Colossians 2 to have an abundance of thanksgiving. 

Ask: How can you be more thankful regularly?

8. James 1:17

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

Anything that we have which is good or perfect is a gift from God. He is the One who is the reason why we have anything. He is so generous and provides may gifts to His children.

Ask: What gifts from God have been particularly special to you this year?

9. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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

We are called to have joy in Christ always, pray persistently and give thanks in every situation. This is God’s will. This means that God’s will for us is to be thankful always.

Ask: What is a time in your life recently when you have given thanks in an unexpected or challenging circumstance? How did it make a difference in that time?

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“I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

This beautiful verse reminds us to direct our gratitude to the Lord with all of our hearts. Then, we do not only thank Him, but we tell others as a witness and testimony of God.

Ask: What are the wonderful deeds of God that you want to share?

These are just a few examples of verses that can propel us into communal gratitude. Whoever you are celebrating with this Thanksgiving, use the 10 verses as a means of cultivating meaningful conversations of gratitude and praise to Christ. We can so often be unintentional as we eat around the table, but this is an opportunity for creating conversations of purposeful gratitude. We can get to know how God is working and moving among whoever is sitting around our table. It can motivate us to carry on the attitude of thankfulness every day, not just at Thanksgiving. 

As we enter this season, may we reflect on the ways in which the Lord has blessed us and encouraged us to remember that He is the Father who gives good gifts, that even in the hard times there are ways we can be thankful to God in the midst, and we should have personal gratitude in our hearts, but also be sharing with others. Let us give thanks and praise to our Savior Jesus who has given us true meaning to be grateful this Thanksgiving.

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