As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, I have paused, often, over the past several days and given more thought to those things that I am grateful for.
From the spiritual to the physical from the major to the minor, I have been mentally making of list of those things that I find myself thankful for -- my salvation, the forgiveness of sin, the sufficiency of God and His Word, my husband, my boys, my physical and church family, friendships, freedom, modern conveniences like cars, washer & dryers, cooling/heating systems, the Internet, grocery stores, cheesecake .....and my list just kept growing.
But as I was giving thought to these things, I decided to look up the word thanks and grateful in the dictionary to remind myself what thanksgiving means. "To be glad, appreciative, grateful, conscious of benefits, an expression of gratitude" -- these were a few of the definitions that began to help me form a picture of what my thanksgiving should look like.
But yet, there was one word not from the dictionary, but from living here in Texas among a large Spanish-speaking population, that is not uncommon to hear that kept creeping into my thoughts. The word for thanks in Spanish -- "gracias."
"Gracias" when rolled off the tongue of a fluent Spanish speaking man or woman sounds beautiful to me. Their word "gracias" when uttered sounds to me like our English word "grace" and "grace", I have learned, means " God's undeserved favor."
It was here that my mind finally rested. To truly understand thanksgiving, to be thankful and grateful and to really appreciate the blessings in my life -- I began to see thanksgiving was much more than simply being glad and appreciative for those things surrounding me or making my life "easier." It was not simply acknowledging God's provisions towards me with gratitude, but true thanksgiving should produce an utter, deep humility in my heart as I realize these blessings are in reality UNDESERVED.
My salvation -- UNDESERVED; the forgiveness of sins -- UNDESERVED; the sufficiency of God and His Word -- UNDESERVED; my husband -- UNDESERVED; my boys -- UNDESERVED; my physical and church family, friendships, freedom -- UNDESERVED.......modern conveniences like cars, washer & dryers, cooling/heating systems, the Internet, grocery stores, cheesecake -- ALL UNDESERVED .....and the list...it keeps growing!
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him." Psalm 103:2,10-11
So as the day draws closer for you and I to celebrate this day of Thanksgiving with our family and friends, I just thought maybe I could encourage you to make a list of those things that you, too, are thankful for. And then, join with me and commit to taking the time to acknowledge and humbly realize before the Lord that all of these blessings in our lives -- all of them -- are only because of His undeserved favor towards us. What a gracious God He is!
"Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting." Psalm 106:1
Happy Thanksgiving and know I am thankful for your UNDESERVED friendship in my life!
Kelly
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