Being Thankful

November is noted for Thanksgiving and we should give some thought to what we are thankful for. Oh, I know we all face trouble and hardships, but truly we have much to be thankful for if we just think about it. A sunny day, a much needed rain, a happy dog, a purring cat, a laughing child, and more! Perhaps it is time to dwell on thanksgiving, than working over our problems and viewing life in negativity. We are asked to act on "giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ"(Ephesians 5:20-21). Yes, we need reverence for Christ and the work he did for us on the cross. He took our sins upon himself and paid for these in his death, but he rose again ensuring us salvation. Even in the midst of our personal challenges, how can we not be grateful for the mercy and grace of God? How can we not be grateful for Jesus who loved us before we loved him? The Aramaic Bible in Plain English (©2010) translates John 4:19 "Therefore we shall love God because he first loved us." Imagine how special we are and how thankful we should be for God's love, for "even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love" (Ephesians 1:4). God loves us! He sent his Son Jesus to save us! What a concept! So, dear brothers and sisters: "Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name" (Psalm 100.4) and lastly, get out your bibles, and read Ephesians 5. Walk in Love!