THANKFULNESS

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.  I Thessalonians 5:18

Last Wednesday we ran across a very powerful thought in our devotional time. It is from the book, Jesus Calling, in which each devotional is written as though Jesus was talking directly to you. The devotional is written by Sarah Young.

"Thankfulness opens the door to My presence. Though I am always with you, I have gone to great measures to preserve your freedom of choice. I have placed a door between you and Me, and I have empowered you to open or close that door. There are many ways to open it, but a grateful attitude is one of the most effective."

"Thankfulness is built on a substructure of trust. When thankful words stick in your throat, you need to check up on your foundation of trust. When thankfulness flows freely from your heart and lips, let your gratitude draw you closer to Me. I want you to learn the art of giving thanks in all circumstances. See how many times you can thank me daily; this will awaken your awareness to a multitude of blessings. It will also cushion the impact of trials when they come against you. Practice My presence by practicing the discipline of thankfulness."

This devotional is a great reminder of the importance of thankfulness in our lives. The same day we had this devotional, Paul ran into a former teacher friend at Bixby Medical Center who was undergoing tests for some health issues. However, in his conversation with Paul, he continued to praise the Lord for how blessed he really is and never complained about any of his ailments; he just continued to express thankfulness to the Lord. This encounter was a great affirmation of the devotional that we had read earlier that day. He was being thankful in all circumstances.

Today, Gail spent several hours at the Lenawee Medical Care Facility and she had some time with Margaret who is totally blind.  But she is able to play a miniature keyboard and harmonica. During this time, she kept telling Gail how thankful she is to be able to play these instruments and thanks the Lord for the gift of music.

As Christians thankfulness should be one of the key expressions throughout the day. Every day should be a Thanksgiving Day.

Blessings and Encouragement with Thanksgiving,

Paul, Gail, Patsy, and Penny