Thank You, Jesus!!
I want to encourage you to join me in a concert of thanks to God our Father, who has given us all things we need and all creation to enjoy. This concert isn’t centered on music or any particular gathering of folks – but each of us turning to look and focus upon Jesus, who loves us and gave Himself for us. Don’t look at the things He’s given you or done for you, but look at Him and Him alone. When His majesty is revealed to our hearts, we won’t be able to cease giving God thanks in the Holy Spirit!
Have you noticed that there are not enough thankful people, even in the church? People who are truly grateful are too blessed to be stressed, too aware of God’s grace in their lives to be unforgiving, and they are as generous and kind as God has been to them. Even sickness and trials cannot hinder our thanks and praise, as we look ahead to the day when Jesus heals us from every infirmity, making us perfect as He is!
This quality of thankfulness is not natural, and you can’t conjure it up with good thought or calculated acts of kindness (as wonderful as that sounds). We need the Holy Spirit to shed the love of God abroad in our heart in order to lift up acceptable offering of thanks to Him. You see, thanking God for things we can see and touch is a good thing, but looking unto Jesus Himself and bringing to mind all His benefits is a spiritual thing. And remember – God is seeking those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth.
So my prayer for you is that the Holy Spirit would help us to gaze upon the person of Jesus and Him alone. Then, and only then, will all the issues of our lives find the divine order God intended, and we are no longer victims of circumstances. You see, as we express thanks and praise, the Lord enters our daily lives with a touch of His greatness, and every day life becomes a romance and an adventure in Him. He changes us into the very image of the Lord we’re gazing upon, and we’re never the same. May our daily lives be an expression of boundless hope, faith, love, and thanks to our great and holy God!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Pastor Eric