Exactly one week until one of my favorite days of the year--Thanksgiving! Why Thanksgiving in particular? Well for a number of reasons. First, of course, is the joy of being with family and cousins and friends. Second, our children come home! That's just pure happiness in my book! Third, because while we enjoy the fellowship of those we love, we are EATING! Come on--that's an unbeatable combination: laughing and talking and sharing with wonderful people you love while devouring delicious food you savor! No wonder one of the great joys in heaven will be the marriage supper of the Lamb! Yes sir, that will be one unimaginably glorious time!
Fourth, the weather and the beauty all around us this time of year--cool but not yet cold, colorful fall leaves, sidewalks blanketed with those falling leaves, pumpkins galore. Fifth, pilgrims, pilgrims, pilgrims. Thank the Lord for the pilgrims and their courage, perseverance, and love for God.
I really could go on and on with my list, but here's the best and greatest reason to love Thanksgiving--because it encourages and reminds us to be grateful! Duh, you're thinking. But seriously, don't we all need to prompted? As Jennifer Rothschild says, "As your gratefulness grows, so will your capacity to perceive blessings, even when they're shrouded in hardship."
Choosing thankfulness is just that: a choice. Let's face it, most of us are not naturally grateful people. But over and over again, God commands us to be thankful. To rejoice. To give Him thanks and praise. Just one of countless examples: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (I Thess.5:16-17) Notice any exceptions there? Nope. Doesn't say, "give thanks most of the time" or "give thanks periodically" or "give thanks except, obviously, when there's a pandemic going on!"
Over the next week, how about we remind each other to cultivate the habit of gratitude? Starting today. Starting now. Will you write down five things for which you're grateful--a blue sky, a phone call from a friend, a good book, a warm fire, a pumpkin spice anything. Whatever--ask God to help you see and savor His extravagant goodness in your life, in this world.
Covid and elections and division and isolation have not cancelled God's goodness and glory! So how about we stop complaining and fretting and worrying and start counting...counting His myriad gifts and goodness painted all over your life and over this world.
Lord willing, I'm hoping to give us all a very short reminder each day over the next week--to rejoice always and to give thanks in all circumstances. But for now, how about you stop reading and start writing. Thank You, Father, for....
The list will be endless, because our God is so good, so great, so glorious, but let's simply begin to start counting.
To God be the glory.
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