A Thankful Thanksgiving

"...and be thankful!"

This is the time of year that we are supposed to do that. When I see the glorious blaze of fall colors, the geese fattened up for their migration and all the lovely vegetables and flowers, I can't help but bless God for them all. Thanksgiving is about having an attitude of gratitude for all God has given us. Really every good and perfect gift comes down to us from our Heavenly Father through Christ. Still there is something more our Creator wishes to give us.

"Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful." Colossians 3:15

So what is robbing you of your peace? Worries and anxious thoughts over the Bush Tax Cuts? Perhaps your health is not what it should be. Maybe your finances are a mess and family members or friends are mistreating you. Whatever it is, this is not God's will for us to be worried, afraid and apprehensive about the future. We are told:

"Casting all your care on him; for he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

When we do this, then we can invite God's peace to rest on us. With that peace should come a thankful heart for all that Yah does for us each day down to the smallest details. The Bible says He opens His hand and satisfies the desires of every living thing. How much more so will He care for those made in His image and subject to Yahshua? Jesus trusted Him and now we can also!

"You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing." Psalm 145:16

This is something that we surely can be thankful for! The peace that we have comes from a lifetime of trusting in God, looking back on all He has done to preserve, guide and bless us. This gives us rest and confidence in His future provisions seen or unseen. Yes, and be thankful!

And Be Thankful

How many times to we ask, no beg God to give us something or help us? Now match that with just how many times we remember to thank Him when it comes to pass. There is so much we take for granted but it should not be that way.

So many times we are worried about a trip or task. We ask our Heavenly Father for help and strength. At the end of the day when all is done and we are safely at home, do we think of Him and what He has done? I would like to propose a change in our daily routine. Before you close your eyes to sleep, recount all of the loving things God has done. Nothing is too big or too small to thank Him for. We can especially thank Him for peace and resting in His loving care as members of the Body of Christ:

"¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." Col. 3:15

I am convinced that this thankfulness brings peace and only the peace of Christ is true and tangible. We can become like Martha, concerned with many things when only one thing is needed. That is to sit at the feet of Yeshua and learn from him.

"But the Lord answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things;" Luke 10:41

We can also get off track worrying about temporal things. Facing certain death at the hands of his enemies, Yeshua asked his Father for HIS will to be done and not his own. The Father was pleased with Yeshua's prayer and because of his laying down his life for us, we now have access to that same perfect peace. Through Yeshua, we also have been assured that same perfect resurrection! Jesus is our Passover Lamb, once and for all time. When we let the peace of the Messiah rule in our hearts we will see that we have so much to be thankful for. Our lives will reflect the true peace within.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I thank you for everything that You have done for me today. I especially thank you the peace in my heart from Christ. In Yeshua's name I bless You!