As I think of Thanksgiving Day I assume you may have as many things to thank God for as do I. Wishing to mention those that I consider daily – not in random order:
I am a child of God – God has adopted me. Jesus calls me sister. The Holy Spirit counsels me. God’s provisions and protections. The Bible’s holy words. The blessing of my husband Neil of 40+ years. Blue skies and rain in season. The God-given skills that allow me to tell you about my love for my God. Art Hall and his wonderful family. Blessed to be born in the USA. Family and friends. Sundays. Great pastors and teachers. Health and the wondrous miracle of healing. Divine love desiring for me to be holy.
As Paul told the Philippians, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think on these things.”
Every day my goal is to start the morning with prayer and thanksgiving. I find that when I think on those things that are honorable, right, pure, lovely, excellent and praiseworthy I cannot help but give God glory from that moment on.
As I pray, if I find something is troubling me, I pass it on to my Father to sort out and return to me by giving me His wisdom and words as needed. If I find myself grumbling about someone I ask my Father to forgive me and to give me His insight, because seeing from God’s point of view I will understand each soul better. If I listen and learn from God I grumble a lot less and pray a lot more!
It is not always easy for me to see or to know how my brothers’ and sisters’ lives are going because most of us tend to keep our troubles to ourselves, but God knows when we and others need compassion and comfort. That is I why I pray for wisdom – because only God can see the heart, and He will direct my ways.
As a missionary in the 1970s Bob Pierce wrote in his Bible: “Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God.” If I have the heart of God (and He gives me this insight when I ask) I then have a better understanding of hearts that are broken, and I can nurture that soul through Christ’s teachings and pray for them with more insight.
Around me every day I see many things that break the heart of God – lost souls, hurt or harmed children, the poor in spirit, the weak and ill, the hungry, etc. I don’t have to go far to view these broken and hurting lives that break God’s heart. Oftentimes I find them in my church family and among my own family and friends or at the Food Cupboard where I volunteer. As I witness pain I am thankful that God allows me to seek His heart and to lift up those hurting and in need.
I also consider the words of Jesus speaking of the end times as He judges the people of all nations, “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took me in, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you visited me. . . . Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
As I thank God for all of His blessings my thankfulness includes the understanding of Jesus’ actions and words so that when I see hurts or wrongs I know I am to take action – the same actions as Jesus would take if He himself were standing beside me. Therefore, I am compelled to forgive more quickly, pray more often and more heartily, love more deeply and seek God’s will every hour of every day.
As Thanksgiving Day passes and gives way to the celebration of our Lord Jesus’ birth, I pray that each of us will slow down to consider exactly what that holy birth means in our lives and how we will live accordingly because, indeed, Jesus is Lord.
“Rejoice at all times. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18). Wishing you a Blessed Thanksgiving!
Editor’s note: Amy Patsch writes from Ocean City. Email her at writerGoodGod@gmail.com.
