As thanksgiving approaches might we all have hearts filled with thanks. The following is my latest article published in the Hudson River Sampler
This fall there has been a challenge circulating around facebook to name three things one is thankful for, for five days. It is a great idea to help us get our minds off ourselves and focus on how blessed we are.
But it made me ask two questions.
To give thanks, or even to be thankful means there is someone we are extending thanks to. So when we write a list of what we are thankful for to whom are we directing our thanks?
And the second question: if we are thankful to God what does our list of thankfulness do for our hearts?
I, for one, don’t want to just be intellectually convinced that I am blessed – that I have much to thank God for – but my desire is for thankfulness to turn my heart to joyful praise. And to stay in that state of continual remembrance that I have been given far more than I deserve.
When God created the earth and everything in it He looked at all that He had made and said that it was good. (Genesis 1)
Good….everything He made is good.
The trees, the grass, each person, friendships, rainbows, colorful leaves, seasons, animals, and everything that comes from creation – It is all a good gift.
I love Ann Voskamp’s approach to the gifts we are given as she writes in her book One Thousand Gifts. She sets out on a journey to see beauty in everyday. It could be the bubbles in the dish sink that reflect a rainbow as the light shines through, the bird flying to peck seeds from the feeder, or the design of Jack Frost on the window. Hers is a challenge to recognize beauty in everyday, as our hearts begin to learn that all things are a precious gift from above.
This creates thankfulness within that flows from the heart. Our attitude becomes one of humility as we realize how much we have been given. For everything that He has made is Good!
May you all have your hearts filled with His joy especially during this thankful season.
Also check out our latest resource, a free printable 12 week Bible study for personal or small group use.
- Bible Resources For chaplins - March 15, 2016
- Receiving from God - February 18, 2016
- To Delight in Him - January 11, 2016
Reblogged this on BPI reblog and commented:
Hearfelt Thanks