It amazes me how quickly things can change. 

Just two years ago I wrote: “This Thanksgiving Day we Americans have reason to be thankful. Our nation has emerged as the undisputed remaining superpower of the world. Our economy, freed from the burden of a Cold War that we have won, has soared to heights never before believed possible. The problem is, too many Americans have forgotten whom to thank.” 

This Thanksgiving, however, things have changed. Although America is still the undisputed superpower, her once soaring economy has plunged to new lows.  

And, I can’t help but wonder, could the reason our economy took a nosedive be because of what I said before – too many Americans have forgotten whom to thank? 

Let’s examine why I came to that conclusion two years ago. It was because of the 2000 presidential election. If you recall, we America’s were deeply divided. Half of us gave the Democrats credit for our booming economy, and the other half the Republicans.  

But, it was the intensity of our feelings on each side of the issue that most concerned me. I began to realize how many Americas there are today who don’t understand that the source of our freedom and prosperity is God, not man.  

Recently, European Union Commissioner, Chris Patten, said, “In the past, people asked God to deliver them from evil. Today they look to international institutions – and in Europe, that means the European Union.” 

What concerns me, if America becomes like Europe, who will there be this time to turn to when these international institutions of men that so many are placing their faith in go wrong? Who will be left in the world to stop the next holocaust?  

Unfortunately, trusting in man and not in God is a common temptation for even we believers. Once some religious leaders said to Jesus, “What then do You do for a sign, that we may see, and believe You? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat’” 

These were religious leaders of Israel. They were talking about when Moses prayed and a food substance called manna rained down from heaven. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.” 

But, God is not only concerned about our physical needs. Jesus went on to speak about another, more important kind of food  – spiritual food. He went on to say, “For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” They said, “Lord, evermore give us this bread.” Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life: he who believes in Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:30-35 New American Standard Bible). 

Unfortunately, the leaders of Israel rejected Jesus and His teaching – His spiritual food from heaven. As a result, their beloved nation, Israel, ceased to exist. 

This Thanksgiving Day, we Americas still have much reason to be thankful. Although our economy may not be where it was a few years ago, we’re not only still a nation, we remain the world’s undisputed superpower. 

But, if we make Israel’s mistake, if we Americans give credit to man and not to God, even the world’s undisputed super power could experiencing the same fate. 

So this Thanksgiving Day, America, let’s give thanks to God.