The Miracle of Thanksgiving

Psalm 100:1-5 “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and raise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Last Sunday, I was up at my father's church in Bass Lake, California enjoying the Sunday Worship service. Pastor Herk reminded us that there are no accidents with Almighty God. Our omniscient Heavenly Father knows exactly what is going to happen. The sovereign Creator of the Cosmos and everything that lives, never says, "Wow, I never saw that coming!" or "Boy, I'm sure glad that things worked out there!" We can take comfort in that fact and be thankful for that fact. 

2 Peter 1:2-3 “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”

There is a lot of activity and busyness going on at this time of year with the holiday season upon us, but we need to not get distracted and focus on what this Thanksgiving holiday is really about, namely Jehovah Jireh; our loving God, who provides and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who saves the lost sinner. Psalm 100 teaches us the purpose of the church in worshiping and serving God, and reaching others with the gospel truth of the kingdom of Heaven in Christ. Unfortunately, we in large part take this nation (with its liberties and freedoms) for granted. In spiritual warfare, daily life and living a far from normal as the devil blinds us by the distracting problems around us. Out of love, Christians offer the light of Christ and His gospel to many today, but reject it.

Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Thanksgiving is celebrated once a year, but truly should be celebrated daily in praising God for His provision and the many blessings that we have and enjoy. That is what “Thanksgiving” is all about! Tune in, tune up and worship the Lord. Serve the Lord with gladness and give Him the glory that He deserves. Come joyfully into His presence every day. Our Heavenly Father offers us to take and receive His provision. 2 Peter 3:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” Though God created and governs time, He exists outside of time, seeing the end from the beginning; therefore, He is never late. He desires everyone to come to Him and accept His gift of reconciling redemption, forgiveness and restoration in Christ.

Philippians 4:19 “God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

God has provided such great beauty all around us, all the time. Just take a moment to stop an take in His creation in nature. We can always count our blessings and be thankful for His gracious provision . Our omnipresent God is there always and faithful in every situation. The American Pilgrims, on the original Thanksgiving in 1621, were celebrating life and God’s providing hand in the harvest feast that we memorize annually still. Sadly, today the Freedom of Religion established in America is slipping away to atheistic secular humanism. Yet, in life, when there seems to be no way to go and no way out of trying times and situations, God provide a way and path forward. There are no accidents with God, but Divine interventions that we may not see and understand until later. God always has the “Right” person in our life, in the “right” place at the “right” time, with the “right” words to pour into God people and tend to their needs.   

Romans 12:1-3 “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.”

Look for the “aw haw” moments in seeing God’s constant care and attention towards you. Walking in the Spirit, we are on this life’s journey in the “right” direction and miracles are happening all around us by the Giver of life and the Giver of a Savior. Draw close to Him.

In Christ, Brian