As I reflect on the month of November lots of things come to mind; football games, lots of food, sharing, birthdays, and even death. As I take time to give thanks, I find my blessings are so bountiful. I sometimes feel like God has blessed me more than I deserve. I have health, a wonderful family, beautiful grandchildren, a home, a car, and the list goes on and on. I also thank the Lord everyday for my Church family. My church, as well as another church, has played an important part of my life and for that I am blessed.
In the dictionary thanks is described as “an expression of gratitude”. Gratitude is explained as “an appreciation for favors received”. The dictionary explains favor as “a kind act, a small gift or token”. We could go on and on, but to get to the point, being thankful means appreciating what people has done for you or given to you. Most of the time in church we are asked to stop and give “Thanks” for our blessings. One of the first responses always seems to be our family, our home, etc. Somewhere down the list we finally get around to mentioning God and what He has done, but for most people He is not on the top of the list.
Since November is a time of reflecting, I think we should stop and reflect on what God has done for us. If you are reading this then you are alive. We each should be thankful for the time we have here on earth. We are never promised tomorrow, so we should live life each day to its fullest and be thankful at the end of the day. If you are reading this then you are blessed with eyesight; even though it may not be what it was a year ago we should be thankful for the eyesight we do have.
Another favor we have received from God that we didn’t deserve, or ask for was the giving of God’s son, Jesus for our sins. God gave each of us a token of His love by sending His only Son to this earth to die for us. When He died on the cross we became new creatures, our sins were not only washed away, but God forgot about them. This Thanksgiving look around your table; look at your family and friends. If God asked you to sacrifice one of your family members just as He did could you do it? Which one of the family members would you be willing to give up?
As you ponder this remember one thing, the one you choose will not be a sacrifice for just your family, but for all of humankind. That includes prostitutes, murders, the guy at work who you don’t get along with, the people you don’t know, the thugs sitting in jail, or your next door neighbor. It will be a sacrifice for everyone. The sad part of it is even though you offer your relative for a sacrifice not everyone will accept the free gift. Now how does that make you feel? Even though God offered His Son as a sacrifice to wipe away every sin committed there are people who still don’t know Him or won’t accept Him.
There is not one of us that would be willing to make that sacrifice, but God did. He did it for you and me and everyone else.
This Thanksgiving as we are once again asked to stop and give “Thanks” let us thank God for His ultimate gift of life and His forgiveness of our sins. November is a time for reflection and thanks. Let each of us take a few minutes and reflect and give thanks to God “for His goodness” to us.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him”. John 3:16-17
Dear Lord, as we sit around the table looking at our family and friends we know in our hearts we can't sacrifice them. We aren't willing to let them die a death for people we don't know or for those who we don't think deserve life. Yet, God that is what You did. You sent Your only Son to die for each of us. Not only for us but for those who we don't know, those who we judge as not deserving Your love. You died to wash away the sins we have committed and those we will commit. You died so we might have life; live eternally. All You ask in return is our love and to love unconditionally those You have put in out midst. You ask us to forgive and be forgiven. You give so much to us, yet You ask for so little. We thank You for Your Son, our family and friends. We thank You for the blessings You pour out on us each day. We honor You with our lives and our love. We lift Your name in Praise and Thanksgiving for all You do for us. In Jesus Name. Amen.
—Becky Brown
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