THINGS FOR WHICH I AM THANKFUL

THINGS FOR WHICH I AM THANKFUL

Next week, D.V., we will celebrate another day of Thanksgiving. I am glad that we will, because – without exception – we all have much for which to be thankful.

It is not surprising to learn that etymologically "think" and "thanks" are related, and therefore the person who thinks gives thanks.

I have been doing a lot of thinking recently about the things for which I am thankful. Here are a few of them.

1. For God Himself, the creator and sustainer of all things, and my Heavenly Father. I am grateful for His love, grace, and mercy, without which I could not be saved. I am thankful for His goodness, His holiness, His discipline, and His providential care.

2. For Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior: His co-eternal existence with the Father, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His wonderful works, His matchless teaching, His vicarious death, His noble burial, His victorious resurrection, His glorious ascension, His magnificent coronation, His majestic reign, His abiding intercession, and His promised second coming to receive those who are His. I am thankful that He has redeemed me from my sins and keeps me cleansed as I walk in the light of His word. I am thankful for His meekness and gentleness, His boldness and courage, and all of His other wonderful traits set forth in the Holy Scriptures.

3. For the Holy Spirit who dwells in me and produces His fruit in me, who seals/marks me as God's child, who serves as a deposit on my eternal inheritance, and who intercedes for me when I am so overwhelmed with the burdens and concerns of life that I cannot articulate my thoughts.

4. For the Bible, God's divinely inspired, inerrant, and all-sufficient word that instructs me, comforts me, guides me, and provides me with all things that pertain to life and godliness.

5. For the heaven-born church of my Lord, bought and paid for by His blood and established by Christ Himself, that undenominational body of blood-washed souls who have come to Him in trusting faith and genuine obedience to the gospel, the church that is of God and not man.

6. For my wonderful local church family, the Mt. Juliet (TN) Church of Christ: her elders, deacons, ministers, teachers, every family and every member, and her great program of work.

7. For the wonderful privilege to worship my Lord privately on a daily basis, as well as in the assembly with my spiritual brothers and sisters every first day of the week.

8. For the great blessing of privately lifting up prayers, supplications, intercessions, and thanksgiving to the God of heaven and earth.

9. For the glorious hope of everlasting life in heaven.

10. For my wonderful earthly family who loves me, cares for me, and sees that all my earthly needs are met.

Perhaps you too are thankful for all of the above things...and more. If so, let God know that you are! Think! "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body; and be thankful" (Colossians 3:15).

Hugh Fulford