Thankful Thursday

 

 

It's Thursday evening

 

This has been an exciting week

 

Almost 6 months ago, I found out that my job was terminating effective immediately

 

Today, I accepted an offer for a carpentry position

 

God tells us over and over in Scripture that He is our provider, that He knows our needs and responds to them

 

I have seen the evidence that proves the veracity of this promise so many times throughout my life

 

And these last six months have been another confirmation of His faithful engagement in the every day circumstances I walk through

 

"My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" is not just a catchy phrase

 

It is truth!  Sometimes I get needs and wants confused, and can develop a bit of an attitude, but He knows my needs and graciously provides

 

And so tonight I'm thankful

 

for the way God has walked by my side each step of the way as I've sought to know what is next in my career

 

for Darvin, my friend who has been a part of God's provision, as he let me work many hours with him these past 5 months

 

for new doors of opportunities that are opening in front of me

 

for reminders that I am not forgotten

 

for friends who have prayed for me, spoken words of encouragement to me, and supported me in the process

 

for the cross of Jesus, which beckons me to relationship with the One True God

 

for peace that passes understanding that has enabled me to wait for God's timing

 

for joy in the journey

 

for music; for a song in my heart

 

for family, both physical and spiritual

 

for strength and energy to get up and go to work each day

 

for the beauty of God's creation that so vividly declares His glory

 

for rainbows that remind us of God's promises

 

for grace, the catalyst for God's work of salvation

 

for everlasting love which drew me out of darkness into His marvelous light

 

Have you taken time recently to express your gratitude to the Almighty?

Thankful Thursday

 

 

"I have come as light into the world, that everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness."--Jesus

 

These are powerful words; words that bring hope and comfort

 

Because I believe in Jesus, He has call me out of darkness into His glorious light. I Peter 2:9

 

Through the power of the Spirit, I now have a choice about whether I walk in darkness or light

 

When I choose light, my sins are exposed, but I receive forgiveness and cleansing and enjoy fellowship with God. I John 1:7

 

I am thankful for God's work of grace which brings me salvation

 

I am thankful for His word which is a lamp for my feet and a light to my path. Ps. 119:105

 

I'm grateful I no longer need to stumble around in the dark with no direction and no idea where I am

 

The blood of Christ has changed that for me

 

Through His sacrifice I've become a child of God where once I was His enemy

 

I'm thankful He is a God who delights in reconciling people to Himself. Col. 1:19,20

 

And because of His reconciling work in my life, I now have the privilege of reflecting His light into the darkness around me

 

 

Thankful Thursday

 

 

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me."

so thankful for the truths found in these words

a shepherd protects his flock, leads them to the resources they need to live, spends time with them, and guides them

I have a God who is my shepherd

He protects me; I've seen it over and over again during the course of my life

truth be told, based on some of the foolish things I've done, I shouldn't be here and wouldn't be except for God's protection

throughout my life, I've also been aware of God's provision

I've never gone hungry

I've always had a roof over my head

There's never been a time when I didn't have clothes to wear (sometimes they were hand-me-downs that were a bit embarrassing, but I was clothed)

I've had work that allowed me to earn a living and provide for my family

even during the last 6 months without a full time job, God has supplied work I could do while looking for employment

God promises He will never leave me or forsake me

So often, I am blessed by the awareness that God is near

I can talk to Him at any time of the day or night

I can seek His help when I'm in difficult circumstances

when I lack wisdom, all I have to do is ask and He provides

God is my guide

as I seek direction from Him, He makes decisions very clear

How amazing that the Lord of all creation is willing to invest in my life

So thankful that He sent His Son to pay the price for my sin so that I could be one of His sheep

I'm grateful that He holds me in His hand and there is nothing that can pluck me away from Him, nothing that can separate me from His love

"Could we with ink the ocean fill,
and were the sky of parchment made,
were every stalk on earth a quill,
and every man a scribe by trade,
to write the love of God above
would drain the ocean dry,
nor could the scroll contain the whole
though stretched from sky to sky!"