Floods My Soul

Hopefully, Lee and I will see our children and daughter-in-law Thanksgiving Day. Can’t wait. I’m anticipating great fellowship, food, and fun. Ah, pleasant memories flood my soul of past Thanksgivings—why, I think I smell mom’s savory turkey with dressing right now! Nah. Just kidding. Seriously though, my mind drifts to forgone days and I can’t imagine how my great-great grandparents survived a tough lifestyle. Psalm 81:10 answers that dilemma, “I am the LORD God who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it” In addition, the Psalmist David perused, “I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or His children begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25 ESV).

Naturally, our present-day economy says ‘demand dictates supply’. Correct? However, in God’s system, supply precedes the need. For example, when He created the world, He filled it with oxygen before He fashioned lungs to breathe. In like manner, water, animals, seafood, nutritious minerals, heat, cold and so on. You see, the ‘things’ we can’t live without, we already possess. That’s right. Think about it. Jesus was slain before the foundations of the world (Rev 13:8), completing salvation before time on earth began. Reflection on the whole scheme of existence tends to boggle one’s mind. Still, even in dire situations, hope abounds. Ultimately, God deserves all praise and honor “Bless the Lord and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good” (Psalm 103:2-5a ESV).

Speaking of delights, the Scottish Catechism declares ‘man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.’ Doesn’t evangelist Joyce Meyer preach a similar message…‘enjoy life, be grateful, and have fun in God’? Or, something like that. In truth, the worthier the object, the greater deserving of gratitude, which places Father God in a category all by Himself. Besides that, grateful hearts open a door for oneness with Him. Thus, thankfulness spreads wide the gateway through which we enter His presence (Psalm 100:4).

Intrinsic gratitude, that is; expressing joy Godward, stretches our faith, and establishes worship for daily Christian living (Gal 5:22). The ability to cultivate a ‘thanks-living’ lifestyle takes practice, dedication, and commitment. Christ enables believers to live appreciatively in everything, including discipline that seems unpleasant (I Thessalonians 5:18).