If we're totally honest, most of us will admit that when it comes to celebrating Thanksgiving the first thing that pops into our mind is all the wonderful food that will appear on the table. Latest information - one in every nine people in the world will go to bed hungry tonight. It is estimated that 821 million people worldwide don't have enough food to sustain a healthy active life. We can start there - be grateful if you have enough to eat.
If you live in the United States, you are governed by the Declaration of Independence which in part states. . .
"We hold these truths to be self-evident : that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
I am grateful to live in a free country and have the right to express myself. It's upsetting to see those (mostly college students) who fight to suppress those who don't agree with their point of view. I am grateful for the men and women who stand up to them and refuse to be bullied.
I am grateful for family and good friends - many in this world feel alone, they don't want to, or can't connect with others and feel separated from what they judge to be the good things in life.
Most of all, I am grateful for my heavenly Father. It's so easy to look back at the past year and see all that we judged to be 'bad' in our life rather than what was 'good'.
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
I Thessalonians 5:18
Joy usually follows gratitude, "pray continually" means to always be aware that you are a child of God and you need to communicate with Him, keep Jesus as close as your beating heart. It's difficult to have a relationship without communication. This is the hard part "give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Jesus Christ", really? How can we do that? Some things are bad and very painful and we can see no good. Things in our personal lives, but also, the struggles and hardships of the world. You won't be able to be grateful or feel joy unless you come to trust God.
This is how to give thanks in all things - by accepting the truth of Scripture that tells us we have a sovereign God who works all things after his own will - Ephesians 1:11. Furthermore, he works all things for good - Romans 8:28, that is a truth we believe by faith. Nothing is going to happen out of God's will - no matter what our judgement might be. We need to trust our Creator who knows the beginning and the end. We don't know what will happen tomorrow!
Our human dilemma started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, Genesis 3. God allowed Satan to enter the garden and persuade Eve, who then persuaded Adam, to eat of the only tree in the garden that God told them not to even touch! They had their eyes opened and began to judge. They had never worn clothes, suddenly they were sewing fig leaves together to cover their naked bodies because they judged that to be a bad thing. God knew they would make the choice to eat form the tree and that is why "the Lamb (Jesus) was slain before the creation of the world." Revelation 13:8 - God had prepared a Savior for us from the beginning!
Therefore, be grateful, be humble, and be trusting of God who will always love us beyond our understanding.
I wish all of you who celebrate the American holiday of Thanksgiving - and those who don't, a special time with those you love and an overwhelming sense of gratitude and thankfulness for all you are and all the Lord has provided. In God's eyes, you are very special.
Thank you Jesus for being my ever present friend and my Lord and Savior.
