Genesis 1:1
In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
If we are willing to quiet our thoughts on this day of Thanksgiving; truly reflecting on what we have to be thankful for, what would come to mind? Some of us may struggle with finding things that are worthy to be thankful for and others may have an abundance of blessings that easily fill our minds.
If we take time to set our minds on the things that are above, not on the worldly things, as we're called to do in Colossians 3:2, we would see that the earthly things fall short and the heavenly things are worthy of our thanks and praise.
God described in Genesis how He created the heavens and earth; He continued His work for six days by forming and filling the whole earth and it was good, in fact, when He created man in His image, He said it was very good. God has given us His Word to help us understand how we were formed and how we are to live; He gives us His Holy Spirit to guide us along the way.
How do we properly give thanks to our Creator and Heavenly Father for providing all that we ever need; for loving us so much, for being merciful, patient, kind, and forgiving when we fall short? As parents, how do we respond when our children acknowledge us and show their gratitude for our love, gifts, sacrifices, and provisions? I know that my greatest joy is when my children and grandchild spend time with me, when they share their stories and ask for guidance, knowing that I love them more than anything else in this world.
God feels the same way about us! God didn't just create the heavens and earth and leave us to find our own way. He is faithful, He always gives us His time and attention; He is always available to hear us when we call on Him, and even when we don't call on Him, He is always watching over us. God offers us a peace-filled life on earth and the promise of living with Him in heaven through His gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, when our time on earth is done.
Sometimes we think it is a burden to spend time with our parents; we don't always like it when they ask us to go out of our way when they need help, or when they desire our company. Our lives sometimes seem too busy to acknowledge the people who brought us into the world and cared for our every need when we were helpless; it breaks their hearts just like it breaks God's heart when we don't take time to call on Him or give thanks for all He has provided.
Closing Thoughts:
Knowing that God is the creator of everything, let us show Him how much we appreciate Him by:
Spending time in His Word to get to know Him better. His storybook (the Bible) is filled with everything we need to know about Him and His plan for our lives and His creation.
Believing in Jesus Christ who was with God in the beginning, who came to earth to redeem us; who died for our sins so that we can have a direct relationship with God the Father; who is currently seated at God's right hand; and believing that He will come back soon to judge the living and the dead, as described in the book of Revelation.
Obeying God's rules and laws, understanding that He created the world and the things in it; He knows how it operates and how we will be successful in it if we follow the "owner's manual" (the Bible).
Loving God and everyone He created; He made us in His image so that we can relate to Him and each other.
Being humble in our attitudes and actions toward God and others.
1 Chronicles 29:13
Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for mankind, for He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.
Genesis 1:31
God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.
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