19 November 2007
A Heartfelt Thanksgiving
Dear God,
When I really stop and think, I
have so many things to thank You for. I thank You for
existing, and I thank You for being my God. Father, Son
and Holy Spirit, I am so grateful. I am thankful for
Jesus Christ making a way for me to be a part of Your
family. I want You to know that my desire is to grow in
my gratitude and the expression thereof.
In Jesus’ Name …
Are you grateful to God? I believe
that He deeply wants His children to love and
appreciate Him. Shortly before Thanksgiving last year,
I told someone that I was learning to be thankful for
every second I live. Three days later, a ladder I was
standing on gave way, and I was taken by ambulance to a
trauma center. A neighbor who was a retired state
patrolman told my wife Susan that he did not think I
would make it. A friend who was a nursing supervisor
thought that, at the least, my back was broken. When we
gathered at my mom’s home for Thanksgiving, I was
thankful to still be able to celebrate Thanksgiving
with my beloved family members. We must all learn to
cherish the time God gives us on this earth. We must
learn to be grateful in our hearts and learn to express
that gratefulness to God.
I have very fond memories of
Thanksgiving Days of the past. I remember with
gratitude and watery eyes those special times of
childhood spent at Granddaddy’s home with
parents, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and
double first cousins (LOL). Thanksgiving Day when I was
in the eighth grade was mixed with joy and sadness. It
was another happy time with family, but it was also the
day that one of my cousins passed away.
As the years went by and we all
grew older, the one gathering at Granddad’s
became many gatherings at other places. Children are
now grandparents, parents are now great-grand-parents,
and others are with the Lord. I miss them.
For many of my adult years, we
have traditionally met at my mom’s home. This
week, we will gather at my sister’s home. We did
meet at Mom’s last year. Was it the last time to
celebrate Thanksgiving there? I don’t know, but I
am so thankful for the many times we have met as a
family at Mom’s home. I will miss meeting there,
but I am so thankful to still be able to meet with my
mom and other family members anywhere God allows.
In this message, I have shared
some intimate thoughts about my life. I hope they may
touch you and help you to remember all that you have to
thank God for. Life is precious, and part of what makes
it precious are the family members whom God has given
us. Many of you, like me, have family members who have
gone home to be with the Lord. Let’s thank God
for the wonderful life we shared together, and
let’s show our love and thankfulness to God by
loving those we still have. Is there a relative that
you haven’t spoken with in a while? Is there
something hindering a relationship? Life is too
precious to let anything separate us? Let’s show
our heartfelt thanksgiving to God by reaching out and
loving those He has given us. Make Thanksgiving a happy
day for someone.
_____________________________
BIBLICAL APPLICATION:
Know that the LORD, He is God; it
is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His
people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His
gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with
praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the
LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth
endures to all generations. Psalm
100:3-5 NKJV
Pastor Wayne Wilson
New Covenant Church of Jesus
Christ
3147 Klondike Road, SW, Conyers,
GA 30094 USA
770-760-1101
Sharing these messages with others
is encouraged and permission is granted for
non-commercial (free) distribution provided this
notice appears.
© 2007 New Covenant Church of
Jesus Christ, Conyers, GA USA
www.JesusAndHisWord.org
