Thanksgiving 2016

This week we celebrate a national holiday.  Most of us have many things to be thankful for this week, including some time off of work.  Chances are someone may even be shopping for your Christmas present this weekend.  Facebook will be loaded with images and comments on what people are grateful for.  And we think of family, food, football and a lot of fun had together during this season. 

May I encourage those of us who are Christians to remember this season that we have far more to be thankful than these earthly blessings.  All of the earthly blessings that we possess can be taken away, and if we are counting on these things for our gratitude, we may find ourselves in a state of discontent at some point down the road.  Instead, when we focus on seeking first the Kingdom of God we receive true unending joy because the rewards we have by following Christ cannot be removed.

You have access to God the Father right now today.   You can go before Him in prayer and even ask Him for things because of the road paved by the blood of Jesus.  You can call Him "Abba" and you can talk to Him as though you were His child because you have become an adopted heir with Christ.  No one can ever take this away from you after you have placed your faith in Christ alone.  What a blessing.

You have the promise that Christ will never leave or forsake you.  God will always be with you no matter what you face.  And, this promise of presence extends to the very love that God has for you.  That love cannot be taken away.  It cannot be lessened.  God loves you in Christ with an everlasting love. 

You have the joy of knowing that death on earth is just the beginning of an eternity of joyous worship of our King.  That no matter what happens to you here, there is waiting for you a place with no pain, no suffering, no sin and the joy of seeing Jesus face to face.  

And I could go on, and on, and on.  But perhaps the thing we should be most thankful for is that God granted us the ability to respond to the gospel by the Spirit of God.  For the faith that we have in Christ.   For the work of Christ on the cross than enables our faith.  May our lives this week and beyond be a testimony of the gratitude that we have for grace.  And may our testimony of thanksgiving draw others toward a relationship with our glorious God.

To God be the Glory.