Banquet With The King: Thankfulness

Friday, November 7, 2025

Thankfulness – Today and Forever

I give you thanks, O LORD, with all my heart; I will sing your praises before the gods. I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength. Psalm 138:1-3

Meditate on Thankfulness.

This is November when most people’s thoughts turn to Thanksgiving. For what are you thankful? Jesus taught His disciples a prayer, known today as The Lord’s Prayer, which encourages us to live focusing on God, honoring Him. I think that by concentrating on our Heavenly Father we honor Him, providing a thankful heart experience.

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need,

and forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

And don't let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.

Matthew 6:9-13

Can you honor God first thing in the morning?

May God’s name be honored and kept holy. I think that I need to go beyond just honoring God’s name…honor Him. One of the first songs I sang and memorized in Junior Choir when I was a kid was “Holy, Holy, Holy” and I can still sing the alto part to most of that song. It encourages us to recognize that God is Holy—and to remember Him early in the morning. That is best time of the day to stop and focus on God…on who He is, what He has done in your life…and to offer yourself to Him. What do You want me to do today, Lord?

Prayer – Lord God—You are holy and I praise Your name. May all that I think, say, and do today bring You glory and honor. Show me what You want me to do today…just for You.

Verse of Salvation ~ 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

Friday’s Feast at the King’s Table

Only about three weeks until Thanksgiving. One of my favorite dishes to enjoy at any Thanksgiving Day celebration—even if it is an early one—is a fresh cranberry relish or sauce. Something about that tangy cranberry is satisfying with turkey. I'll be savoring this soon with an early family thanksgiving feast!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce

1 bag - 12 ounce fresh cranberries
2 finely chopped apples—any variety
½ cup fresh squeezed orange juice, plus ½ orange, coarsely chopped and the zest of one orange
1 cup sugar, or less to taste (depending on the sweetness of the apples)
1 tablespoon minced crystallized ginger (candied ginger)
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover and bring to a gentle boil over a medium-low heat. Cook about 15-20 minutes. Uncover. Mash with a potato masher, if it is too lumpy for you. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook about 5 minutes until sauce thickens.

Transfer the sauce to a heatproof serving dish and cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or you may cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or more before serving. Makes 3 cups.

Serve with turkey, and then on turkey sandwiches the next day. To create cranberry scones swirl ½ cup of sauce into scones batter before baking. Enjoy anytime of the year by using frozen cranberries.

Revised from January 7, 2019, and November 27, 2015, Banquet With The King blog.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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