Here’s a new twist to an old
saying: Due to the recent financial difficulties, the light at the end of the
tunnel has been turned off!
Now, I know that things are
not as good as they could be; but, heaven knows they could be worse. So as we
approach the upcoming day that we as Americans set aside to give thanks; well,
let’s do just that….GIVE THANKS!
In fact, if truth be told, we
find in God’s word that giving “THANKS:” is an imperative: in fact, it is a
direct command from the Great I AM. Throughout the Psalms, David continually
wrote to praise the Lord and to give thanks. In Chapters 106 and 118, he begins
each psalm with this admonition, “Praise
the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love
endures forever.”
Time and time again, David
reminds us to give thanks…to let our hearts overflow with thanksgiving. In
fact, in over 33 passages in the Bible, we are commanded to give thanks to our
Father who is the giver of every good gift.
So on this Thursday, as you
gather with friends and family members and recount God’s blessing during this
past year, don’t look at the shrinking balance in your checking account and
lament how poor you are…rather; remember if you have any spare change just
lying around the house, you are already wealthier than 75% of the world’s
population. Contemplate this…..if you have a roof over your head, clothes on
your back and shoes on your feet….. And you eat at least one meal a day; you
are living above the poverty level of 85% of those in third world countries.
Yes, times are hard for many
of us here in America, but that does not relieve us of God’s command to
obedience as we bestow our praise, honor, adoration and gratitude on Him who
has given us all that we have and more than we need. However, we should not
give thanks to God because it our duty or just to be obedient to his Word, but
rather out of love and gratitude for the immeasurable blessings of God on this
great nation.
Times may be hard and they
may become harder…but we, as followers of Christ, are called to a higher
standard of thanksgiving…we are to praise him and give thanks in ALL things…the
good and the bad…in the best of times and the worst of times.
Begin today your celebration
of this Thanksgiving season by doing the following….set aside some time to make
a list of the things for which you can give thanks and after each one, BLESS
THE NAME OF JESUS….tell Him, personally, what and why you are thankful and how,
even if that blessing were stripped away, you would still give thanks and bless
his name…..for scripture tells us, “What
shall it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, yet lose his own soul.”
This Thanksgiving do the one
thing that will honor God and bring glory to His name….Tell others how thankful
you are that you belong to Jesus. This simple act of telling others that you
are a child of the King will elicit praise from your lips and will demonstrate
a heart filled and over-flowing with thanksgiving.
It is in every act of worship
that we demonstrate our love for our Heavenly Father and in our praise and
works of obedience that we show a humble and thankful heart.
SO GO AHEAD AND HAVE A
BLESSED AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING this week…and ....May God bless you as never
before!
WPQ
Poem for the Day:
In harmony with one voice we raise
Our grateful songs of thankful praise.
In song and dance we do proclaim
That we are blessed in Jesus’ name.
May all creation spend each day,
Praising Jesus in every way…
The valleys sing, the mountains shout...
To sing and worship all our days
With hearts filled with eternal praise.
WPQ 2011
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