This devotional is designed for the family and can be done on Thanksgiving or around Thanksgiving. The objective of this devotional is to teach children to thank God for all of the things that they are thankful for.
Pre-Devotional Questions:
- Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? (Answer: Because of the good harvest)
- Who should we thank at Thanksgiving? (Answer: God)
- Why should we thank God? (Answer: Because God gives us the good harvest)
Thanksgiving Devotional for Families
I am thankful for the good food that we eat, I am thankful for the beautiful colors that show up on our trees around Thanksgiving, and I am thankful for you – my family! But who should I thank for all of these wonderful things? I should thank God because God is the one who gives us our food. I should thank God because God is the one who makes the trees change with the seasons, and I should thank God for you because God is the one who gave you to me and me.
In Psalm 138 David thanks God with his whole heart and David thanks God for everything. Let’s read it:
I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise; I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word. On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth, and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord. For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me. The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands,” (Psalm 138, ESV).
We should thank God for everything and we should thank God with our whole heart!
Family Activites:
Ask the kids what they are thankful for and create a “thankful jar,” whenever they are thankful for something they get to write it down (or draw it) and put it in the thankful jar.
The download above also includes several free Thanksgiving coloring pages and our Thankful Prayer for Children.
Thanksgiving Prayer:
Dear God, thank you so much for everything that you have given to us. Thank you for another Thanksgiving where we get to remember how good you have been to us. Help us to thank you all the days of our lives, amen.