Greetings in the name of our Friend, Jesus Christ – THE Crucified and Risen Saviour! What a beautiful morning after the stormy evening we had. I trust that you have had a grand weekend and Monday…and that the presence of God surrounded you in ways that you could identify and respond to. As this is the week before Thanksgiving, I want to issue you a challenge: on a piece of paper write down the days of the week, on the left hand side-one under the other…maybe even double space them; now each day record beside that day-one or two things for which you are “thankful” for, so that on Thanksgiving Day you have something to share with family and friends. Make it an honest day of Thanksgiving for the everyday blessings that have come your way. I will be praying for you today, asking Father to give you a thankful spirit.
I often tell people that I only have two problems with God: when I am in a hurry, He isn’t and when He is in a hurry, I am not. This, of course, is a meant to be a light-hearted observation – but is it? Now I have realised that I have two more problems with God and they connect to the first two. The second two: God doesn’t do things the way I think are best and He does things in a way that I wouldn’t. It would seem that God refuses to conform to our timing and expectations, which is a little difficult to accept. Again, this is supposed to be a light-hearted observation – but is it? I rather think that whether we admit it or not, there is a lot about God that we don’t understand and more than one individual has failed to accept that human reasoning pales to a faith in a God who cannot be manipulated.
I want you to understand that this is the background for two things that I would thank God for today: first, from the old church song – “Will your anchor hold?”…I thank God that I have an anchor that keeps my soul – steadfast and sure – amid the storms and doubts and questions – anchored firm and deep in the Saviour’s love!
Second, again from an old church song – “Simply trusting”…Simply trusting every day-Trusting in a stormy way-Even when my faith is small-Trusting Jesus, that is all – how thankful I am that all I have to do is trust and hold on. I have been doing that for some 45 years now and God has never failed to do what is right and good…even when the storms came, even when my faith was small. No wonder the Apostle Paul wrote one of his “thanksgiving insights”: God can do anything, you know–far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us…Ephesians 3:20 The Message.
Be blessed!