As Thanksgiving Day draws closer in the US, it is a time of reflection for  many people. In many households, people named what they were thankful for on Thanksgiving.  It is beneficial to count our blessings; however, I also use the time to review the past year.

But all that is beside the main point of this entry; I was reading in Habakkuk this morning, and the following passage seemed to jump off the page:

They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous. (Habakkuk 1:15-16).

Verse 16 especially seems to be a commentary on our times and attitudes (at least in America). The context here is talking about fishing, and in verse 15, they are very happy to have made a great haul of fishes.  Rejoicing when things go well for us is not wrong; it is very natural and human.  But verse 16 is terrible; instead of thanking God who gave them the great catch of fish, they are sacrificing and burning incense to the tools!!!!  O foolish people!

Yet, are we better?  Do we thank God for the good things that come our way, or do we think that the tools we use have brought us success?

As Thanksgiving draws near, let those who call themselves Christian strive to thank God and not the tools when we are blessed.