Welcome to this Thanksgiving service. We are grateful to God for all His gifts to us. Our text for today draws us to a gift that sometimes we take for granted. And yet it is one of the greatest gifts God has given us.

There was a story in Reader’s Digest years ago about a young man who took his girl home at the end of their first date. Emboldened by the night, he decides to try for that important first kiss. With an air of confidence, he leaned with his hand against the wall and, smiling, he said to her, “Darling, how about a goodnight kiss?”

Horrified, she replied, “Are you mad? My parents will see us!”

“Oh come on!” he said, “Who’s gonna see us at this hour?”

“No, please,” she implored. “Can you imagine if we get caught?”

“Oh come on,” he said, “there’s nobody around, they’re all sl…