As Thanksgiving dawns today, take time to offer your thanks to God for the richness of His blessings in your life. Our Father in heaven is pleased when the people whom He adopted offer Him praise and worship.
He has every right to your heartfelt gratitude.
If I may borrow a few lines from Max Lucado’s excellent book, Cast of Characters: Common People in the Hands of an Uncommon God, here are just a few things for which we ought to offer the utmost thanks to the God of heaven:
- We are beyond condemnation (Romans 8:1)
- We are delivered from the law (Romans 7:6)
- We are near God (Ephesians 2:13)
- We are delivered from the power of evil (Colossians 1:13)
- We are members of His kingdom (Colossians 1:13)
- We are perfect (Hebrews 10:14)
- We have been adopted (Romans 8:15)
- We have access to God at any moment (Ephesians 2:18)
- We are a part of His priesthood (1 Peter 2:5)
- We will never be abandoned (Hebrews 13:5)
- We have an imperishable inheritance (1 Peter 1:4)
- We are partners with Christ in life (Colossians 3:4), and privilege (Ephesians 2:6), suffering (2 Timothy 2:12), and service (1 Corinthians 1:9)
- We are members of His body (1 Corinthians 12:13)
- We are branches in the vine (John 15:5)
- We are stones in the building (Ephesians 2:19-22)
- We are a bride for the groom (Ephesians 5:25-27)
- We are priests in the new generation (1 Peter 2:9)
- We are a dwelling place for the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19)
And, as if that is not enough, we are told in the scriptures that God…”has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesian 1:3), and that “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3).
In other words, we have everything we need and more. Not because we earned it or because we are good, but because He loves us, and He is good, and He has seen fit to bless His elect.
So, if you’re a child of God, take time today to center your heart on the God who has blessed you.
If you aren’t a child of God, why not become one?
Praise God from whom all blessings flow…
Photo by Wilhelm Gunkel on Unsplash