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DO YOU REMEMBER THOSE OLD TV SHOWS where visitors arrived at an estate of unimaginable wealth? There was often a guard at the gate, a gardener working in the yard, and a chauffeur standing by a limousine in the circular driveway. When the visitor rang the doorbell, a butler greeted them, and a maid offered a refreshment. As a child, I thought, “Wow! They must be really rich to afford servants to cater to their every need!”

YET WHAT SEEMED LIKE UNIMANGABLE luxury back then has, in many ways, become our reality today. A cleaning service regularly comes by to handle significant household chores, while a dry cleaner launders and presses our clothes. In many cases, a supermarket worker handpicks our groceries for curbside pickup or delivery, and we even have meal subscription kits or local delis preparing gourmet dinners ready to heat and serve.

WE CAN BE CHAEUFFERED in a luxury car by Uber. Virtual assistants and smart home apps let us lock doors, control lights, and adjust thermostats without lifting a finger. A visitor at the door? A simple doorbell press activates a video system that connects directly to our phones. We can greet guests, grant access to delivery drivers, or turn them away—all while sitting on our couch or even miles away. If you’re really fancy, your doors might even unlock automatically as they detect your phone or key fob approaching.

FEWER AND FEWER OF US MOW our own lawns or trim our hedges. Landscapers, gardeners, or a Homeowners Association take care of those tasks. Repairs around the house? We hire plumbers, electricians, or contractors with a few taps on an app. Even the car wash is no longer a chore—we just drive through a fully automated system in minutes.

BANKING IS EFFORTLESS NOW; we can manage accounts, transfer money, and pay bills within seconds through online platforms and apps. Subscriptions ensure our bills are paid on time without writing a single check. And for those still using paper checks, all it takes is a quick photo on a smartphone to deposit them into your account.

OUR HOMES ARE GUARDED through sophisticated security systems with cameras and warning signals. Some even have cameras installed in children’s rooms for safety. We no longer have to cut firewood or struggle to start a fire—just flip a switch, and the fireplace glows. Instead of cleaning an outhouse, we flush a toilet. Instead of washing and drying dishes by hand, the dishwasher handles that. We don’t dig holes to bury garbage; a garbage truck picks it up weekly. Though these conveniences come at a cost, they reflect the incredible wealth and comfort many of us enjoy today.

WE ENJOY COMFORTS AND CONVENIENCES that kings of the past or millionaires of the last generation could only dream of, yet we often fail to recognize how richly God has blessed us. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying these modern luxuries, it becomes wrong when we take them for granted. This is truly a remarkable time to be alive, and we should be grateful for God’s abundant goodness.

AS WE REFLECT ON OUR CONVENIENCES we enjoy, it’s humbling to consider the Pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving. These settlers faced relentless challenges—freezing winters, insufficient food supplies, and the heartbreak of losing loved ones. After harvesting their crops, they found hope in an adequate harvest to get them through the brutal winter ahead. So, they paused to reflect and thank God for His provision and the hope of sustaining them through the coming season.

WE HAVE SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR. The least we can do this Thanksgiving is pause to praise our Heavenly Father, the giver of “Every good and perfect gift” (James 1:17).  God has more than fulfilled His promise to “… meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

YET, ALL OF OUR MATERIAL BLESSINGS pale in comparison to the spiritual riches we have in Christ Jesus.

WE HAVE THE TOTAL FORGIVENESS of sins, the promise of eternal life in heaven, and the assurance of daily guidance by the Holy Spirit. All this is because “God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE KING of the Universe, who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth in every mine. We stand in line to inherit His riches in glory! “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” (Hebrews 12:28).