Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday, and that means it's time for me to stop for a few minutes and focus on what I have to be thankful for

there's a sign on my dining room table that reads, "Gratitude turns what we have into enough"

and yesterday morning I was reading from Ps. 23, and was once again struck by the statement, 

"The Lord is my shepherd: I shall not want."

Implied in that statement is the idea that God is enough

the psalmist is expressing his satisfaction with who God is and what He does for him

I'm thankful Jesus is the Good Shepherd

thankful He is a leader

thankful He is a provider

a shepherd doesn't leave his sheep to fend for themselves, or find their own way

in that same way, God is not far off and clueless as to my needs

He is the God who is near

He knows me intimately, every detail, every thought and word, every action

I'm thankful God is all-knowing and all-seeing

I'm thankful He is the giver of every good thing

this morning, in a company meeting, I learned that as of June 13, I will once again be laid off from my job.

As I've processed this throughout the day, I've come to the conclusion that this time is a gift

God is entrusting it to me

and His desire for me is that I would be a good steward of this gift

so I have 4 weeks to prepare

I'm prayerfully considering how to make the most of this time that I will have

I want to use it for God's glory

I'm thankful that financially I am in a position of preparedness for this type of situation

thankful I don't have to worry about that part of the equation

I was sharing with a brother this evening that my bigger concern is with not self-destructing during a period of a lack of routine

I'm thankful I have brothers who stand with me and support me in standing firm

I'm thankful I have God's word to lean on and learn from

I'm thankful God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever

He is unchanging, unshakable; He is mighty to save

He is the way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness

I'm so grateful He has made a way for me to be in relationship with Him

thankful He drew me out of darkness into His marvelous light

thankful He removed the scales from my eyes so that I can see Him and know Him

I'm thankful He always keeps His word

there's a peace that comes in the midst of the storm when Jesus is in the boat with me

and His promise is that He will never leave me or forsake me

I just need to trust Him!

Thankful Thursday

It's been a few weeks since I posted

I'm thankful to be back at work, having something to fill my day

at the same time, I wonder if I grew through the experience of being out of work for a month

Did I use that time profitably, or was it wasted?

I am thankful God provided opportunities to serve during that time

I am thankful for the way my wife and I were able to spend more time in prayer together

I am thankful for music, and time to sit at the piano and play and sing praise to my God

I even wrote a song during the shutdown from Ps. 103

the chorus goes like this:

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all He's done!

God has done great and mighty things

I'm thankful He is the creator

I'm thankful for the beauty He has placed all around me

Easter came and went during the lockdown

I'm thankful for the gift of eternal life in Jesus

thankful He gave Himself as a ransom for sinners like me

thankful He is the author and perfecter of my faith

I'm thankful that God has breathed life into this mound of dust

I was talking today with a friend about how God wants us to get to the point of recognizing we are nothing

Scripture tells me there is no one who does good, no one who is righteous

but I'm thankful Christ has clothed me in His righteousness

He covers me with His goodness

I'm thankful Jesus is my intercessor, sitting at the right hand of the Father, praying for me

what a glorious thought

I'm thankful God is a gracious and merciful Father

thankful He doesn't treat me as my sin deserves

I'm thankful He daily reminds me of His love and care

I'm thankful He wakes me up each morning, giving me life and breath

I'm thankful I am a recipient of His grace

Thankful Thursday

I'm now into my third week of work stoppage because of covid-19 precautionary measures

It's a confusing time

some of my friends are still working while others of us have been told we can't

there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the differences

I'm a hands on kind of guy

I like to get things done, make an impact

but most of that has been taken from me in these last few weeks

social distancing is the new normal

limited travel is being encouraged

what does God have for me in all of this?

one thing I was thinking about today:

Christ endured much worse for me than anything I'm experiencing 

He gave up all of His glory in heaven to come and live as a pauper here on earth

He sacrificed His place of honor to hang in dishonor on a cross

He who never sinned was treated as a common criminal

tomorrow is known as Good Friday

a day when we remember the supreme sacrifice Jesus made

taking on God the Father's wrath, experiencing separation from Him as He paid the price for mankind's sin

I'm so thankful for Jesus--His life, death, and resurrection

I'm thankful for the record we have of His life in the four gospels

thankful for the exemplary life He lived

I'm thankful He calls Himself the Good Shepherd

thankful He is still calling His sheep, still leading me in the way I ought to go

I'm thankful for this time of year

a time when new growth is bursting forth all around me

I'm thankful for the reminder it is that just as Jesus burst forth from the tomb on the third day,

I now can experience newness of life

I'm thankful God is good and ready to forgive

thankful He does not treat me as my sin deserves

I'm thankful God is a loving Father who tenderly cares for His children

I'm thankful Jesus understands my weaknesses, that He faced the same temptations I face, yet without sin

I'm thankful for life and breath

thankful for a healthy body

thankful for my loving family

I'm thankful for good friends who encourage me and pray for me

I'm thankful I serve a risen Savior

I'm thankful He is still in the business of changing lives, softening hearts, and renewing minds

Thankful Thursday

another week of lockdown

what am I learning through this experience?

One thing is for sure: no human has any idea how long this will continue to affect us or what the end result will be

everyone has their own take on the situation

I have a choice in how I respond

will I get upset and uptight, or will I stand upright and continue to trust?

I'm thankful God is the same yesterday, today, and forever

I'm thankful His promises haven't changed

thankful He holds me in His hand, and there is nothing that can pluck me away from Him

I'm thankful God is holy

thankful all His works are done in faithfulness

thankful God's lovingkindness fills the whole earth

I believe God is revealing Himself in this time

in Isaiah 45 God says, "I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God.  I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me.  I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these."

He wants all men to know that He alone is God

this pandemic has helped to show us how helpless we really are

If God wanted to, He could wipe us out

it is because of His mercy that we are not consumed

how thankful I am for God's mercy

I'm thankful He is a God who delights in reconciling people to Himself

and I believe at the very heart of this situation that is God's purpose

He's getting our attention and wants us to be reconciled to Him

later in the book of Isaiah, it tells us that all of us have turned our back on God and chosen to go our own way

and in Ephesians, we are told that outside of a relationship with Christ, we were dead in our sins

But God,

I'm so thankful for that phrase

I was headed for destruction...but God

I was hopelessly floundering through life...but God

I was trapped in a spiral of sin...but God

I was full of anger and hatred...but God

in the richness of His mercy, driven by His great love for mankind, sacrificed His only Son to free me from that bondage of sin

I am thankful for the cross, where Jesus suffered the wrath of God for me

thankful His blood cleanses me

thankful I am now clothed with His righteousness

I am thankful for these disturbing times that force me to come face to face with my desperate need for God's intervention in my life

I am thankful I don't need to fear or give in to panic

I am thankful my hope is secure

I am thankful I am a recipient of God's grace

thankful He calls me His son 

thankful God gives me courage to follow Him even when walking through the valley of death

Thankful Thursday

God is sovereign

He is the giver and sustainer of life

every good thing comes from Him

God loves me with an everlasting love

He sent His only Son to die on a cross as payment for my sins

God's power raised Jesus from the dead

God is holy and righteous; He is perfect in all His ways

God is merciful and gracious; He is the God of all comfort

God knows me intimately 

He sees all my ways, knows my every thought, and hears my words even before I speak them

God is slow to anger and ready to forgive

God is the source of all truth

He is the author of salvation

I am so thankful for these truths

Thankful I can put my trust in the creator of the universe

knowing He brings blessing and calamity for the purpose of introducing people to Himself

I'm thankful God's name is a strong tower to which I can run for safety

Thankful I don't have to fear anything in this world

Thankful for the peace that comes from turning my worries and fears over to Him

I'm thankful that Jesus came to heal our brokenness

and thankful He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for me

I'm thankful for the signs of new life all around me:

grass getting green,

trees beginning to push leaves and flowers,

dandelions blooming,

birds singing cheerfully each morning,

daffodils

I'm thankful for the reminder these are that God brings newness of life to all who put their trust in Jesus

Life has slowed down drastically

but I'm thankful I can still sit down at the piano and sing praise to my God

I'm thankful for extra time to spend with my wife

and thankful God remains the same through all of the changes taking place

Thankful Thursday

These are interesting times I live in!

fear seems to be on the rise

people suffering from panic over the unknown

I've heard such a variety of comments from frustration to anger, humor to despair

it reminds me of a story from the life of Jesus

He and His disciples are crossing over the sea of Galilee in a boat

being tired, Jesus is taking a nap on a cushion

and in swoops a nasty blow

waves begin breaking over the side of the boat

the wind howls, tossing them around like a feather

Does this wake up Jesus?

nope! He must have been a sleeper like me

and so, the disciples wake Him up with cries of confusion and hopelessness

"Master, don't you care that we're about to die here?"

Now you have to understand that Jesus had already told them they were going to the other side

but in the craziness of the moment, they've forgotten that

they just know things have gotten out of hand

and they panic

sound familiar?

Jesus' response is so cool

He gets up, tells the wind to stop making such a racket, and immediately the sea is calm

then He looks at the disciples and asks this startling question

"Where is your faith?"

and today, He still asks this same question

I'm so thankful I have a God who can calm the storm

I'm thankful He invites me to trust Him

I'm thankful God has promised to never leave me or forsake me

I don't have to ask Him where He is

I'm thankful I know He is right here with me every step of the way

Unknowns?  Sure, there are any number of them

but I'm thankful nothing is unknown to my God

thankful He uses all circumstances to draw people toward Himself

I'm thankful all God's works are done in faithfulness

as circumstances and situations change all around me, He remains the same; yesterday, today, and forever

I'm thankful my life is secure in Him

I live in a broken and sin filled world

but Jesus came to heal the brokenness and bring forgiveness for sins

I'm thankful His lovingkindness is over all the earth

thankful God offers life; full and abundant life, to all who believe in the name of Jesus

where is your faith?

Mine is anchored to the Rock!

Thankful Thursday

I enjoyed yet my million dollar view as I sat at my dining room table this evening

God's glory on display in the sunset

I'm thankful God is such an extravagant artist!

I was reminded of a sermon I listened to with my wife last evening

the speaker was describing the glorious splendor of the Himalayan landscape which shouts God's majesty

and yet there are so many who view that splendor day after day who have never heard the name of Jesus

he went on to talk about how creation does speak of God's glory, but it is our privilege as believers to proclaim the good news of the gospel

I'm thankful Jesus came to be the Supreme Sacrifice

thankful that even when I was dead in my sin, God reached out and brought me life

I'm thankful He offers forgiveness to all who believe in the name of Jesus

thankful I no longer need to fear God's wrath

I'm thankful the penalty for my sin has been paid when Jesus hung on the cross

I'm thankful God has chosen me to be His son, adopted me into His family, and sealed me with His Spirit

I'm thankful He now invites me to partner with Him in ministry

thankful He commissions me as His ambassador, His representative to a dying world

I'm thankful that as I view the sunset, I know the artist

thankful I can enjoy intimacy with Him

I'm thankful God has poured out mercy and grace in abundance in my life

thankful that just as the sky was alive with color this evening, Jesus is alive forever more

thankful He conquered sin and death

thankful He sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for me

I'm thankful God has loved me with an everlasting love

I pray that I will represent Him well as I continue to live out this life He has blessed me with