A Gratitude Appointment with Father God
“Bless the LORD,
(The Psalms 103: 1-5 NASB)
O my soul,
And all that is within me,
bless His holy name.
Bless the LORD,
O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.”
What do we love most about God?
- His Goodness?
- His Gifts?
- His Promises?
- His Faithfulness?
- His Kindness?
- His Saving Grace?
- His Willingness to Die for our Sins?
- His Resurrection from the Grave?
- His New Mercies Each Day?
- His Pursuit of our Hearts until We See His Goodness?
ALL OF THE ABOVE!
Coming next week is the American holiday of Thanksgiving, and like most, I am planning meals, buying supplies, making plans for upcoming gatherings, inviting friends students far from home and family to our table. I am also looking forward to time away from the “hustle and bustle of work,” for we know that—Black Friday is coming!
Maybe, we were reading the previous sentence and were caught up in the “good feelings Thanksgiving Day brings” until that last sentence part—Black Friday is coming!
Could it be that at the mention of Christmas shopping, our hearts began to race, not from the good emotion we were feeling but from the anxiety-filled emotion that tells us: “How will you ever be ready?” OR “Times are lean, and how will you ever afford Christmas gifts this year?”
Today, I found myself reading Scripture that brought gratitude to my heart, and as I did, it was apparent how (if we are not mindful) we can allow Thanksgiving Day to become the steppingstone to Christmas chaos. Now, please know, that all of us enter this holiday season with good intentions; we are so hopeful that we can slow down and Be Thankful & that we can Be Grateful for Jesus, the gift God sent to this world. However, without intentionality, we will become caught up in “the hustle and bustle” of the holiday season, leaving us in the new year, looking back on the events of Thanksgiving & Christmas Days, asking ourselves: What Just Happened?!
Therefore, this holiday season, let us be different than our usual norm, & let us intentionally make time each day for an appointment—A Gratitude Appointment with Father God
We should because—
- Our 1st American President, George Washington called us in 1789 to set aside the fourth Thursday in November, saying:
“Render God our sincere and humble thanks.”
- Our 16th American President, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in 1863 an annual day of Thanksgiving, saying:
“A day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heaven.”
- Our Bible encourages us to give God thanks because:
It is the right thing for all the Redeemed to do—daily!
“Oh give thanks to the LORD,
(The Psalms 107: 1-2 NASB)
for He is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary”
Children of God, the LORD deserves our thanks & praise.
- Because as we express thanks to God, then our gratitude benefits us physically, emotionally, mentally & spiritually. &
- Because we are beneficiaries of His Love.
“We love, because He first loved us.”
(The First Letter of John 4: 19 NASB)
May we prepare for the upcoming, traditional & annual Day of Thanksgiving in a different and refreshing manner.
- May we begin today and continue each day until Thanksgiving Day, saying: “Thank You, LORD.”
- May we begin today and each day after Thanksgiving, NEVER STOP SAYING: “Thank You, LORD.”
- May we begin today and each day for the rest of the year, render thanks to our LORD.
- May we begin today and march into the new year, offering thanks and praise to our Father in heaven.
- May we begin today speaking our Thanksgiving to our Savior—
BECAUSE HE DESERVES IT!
May this truly be a season of Thanksgiving in our lives as we seek daily—A Gratitude Appointment with Father God.
“With every breath that I am able,
I will sing of the goodness of God.”
“Goodness of God” by Rhett Walker & Essential Worship