November 23, 2010
In "this" rejoice! In "this" be Thankful!
12:00 AM | 
Posted by
Penny
I absolutely LOVE Thanksgiving!
Is it because most people get 2 days off?
Is it because there's tons of food to be enjoyed?
Is it because of the plethora of family gathering around a table?
Perhaps it's because of football & naps!
(who is your team to watch this year?)
I have so enjoyed reading everyone's posts about thankfulness. Indeed the Bible tells us to be thankful...
Psalm 92:1 (ESV)
It is good to give thanks to the Lord
However, yesterday as I was having my prayer time the Lord showed me something about thankfulness that I often overlook.
Every year at our Thanksgiving feast, after we pray for the food, we go around the table & share something for which we are thankful. I love this time with family!
Some years there are tears, some years there is immense laughter, but every year we recognize the good the Lord has brought our way.
Again, in my prayer time this week, it was as if the Lord was making the words in my Bible bold - highlighted - and underlined - regarding something I often fail to thank Him for at this time of year.
Bear with me... as this is not a typical "thanksgiving" verse...
1 Peter 1:5-7 (ESV)
...who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
It dawned on me in this quiet hour in my house, the very first thing I should be thankful for is the salvation Christ has given me.
It was as if the words, "in this you rejoice" were coming off the page!!!
What is the "this"
Peter is referring to?
Salvation!!!
Which is not only guarding us through faith right now - but will be revealed in the last days.
So often as we go around the table, I thank God for His love, for my family, for His provisions - and I forget to REJOICE in His salvation. As if this is something I came to (salvation) as a 6 year old little girl and now it's time to move on to bigger and better things.
The "in this you rejoice" is not:
paid bills
healthy children
healthy parents
growing church
beautiful place to live
well behaved children
people who follow my blog
a sold TX house
but rather simply stated...
SALVATION!
I challenge you all - as you make your lists of the many things for which you are thankful this year, to not forget to recognize the power of God that is guarding you through faith - the very thing that has saved you! I challenge you all this year to have an eternal perspective!
Sure - it's natural to get caught up in the here and now. The good and the bad. The easy and the hard.
But when you think of the "last days" it kind of makes these temporary trials all worth it doesn't it?
I for one, will have a more eternal perspective as it comes my turn around the Thanksgiving Table!
I typically end my posts here on Seeds of Faith with a question. Today will be no different. But instead of asking you what you are most thankful for - I want to ask you a question that my husband recently asked the people of our church.
I'm looking forward to rejoicing in the "this" with you!
So...
What is your "When & Where?"
When & where did you get saved?
When & where did you experience His powerful salvation?
Let's thank Him for this first this year!
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4 comments:
Praise God for my salvation! I thank Him for saving a wretched sinner that doesn't deserve any of His mercy and grace.
I was raised in a Christian home and my parents had me in church everytime the doors were open. My parents told me that I had accepted Christ at the tender age of 4; however, I never remembered that day or going to the altar for that matter so at the age of 13 I asked my Christian school teacher in Holland (where my dad was stationed) if we could talk. She led me to the Lord that day. WHat a glorious day!
What a story!!! I love this! Sounds very similar to mine!
I was 6 years old - but I do remember sitting on the stairs of our home - red shag carpet - LOL! I remember asking my Dad if he could "pray the prayer for me" - I was crying too much. And he said this is the one prayer I cannot pray for you. That afternoon, I asked Jesus to take control of my life!
Oh the journey it has been ever since!
On a June day in 1985. I was 10 years old. I remember it like it was yesterday. What a glorious day it was!
Well, my story is a little different. God called me to Himself at the age of 23. By the world's standards my life was great. I had just graduated college with my teaching degree, had a job, bought my first brand new car, had lots of friends, etc. But I was in turmoil. I cried out to God and begged forgiveness for all the things I had done and for living my life my own way. I prayed for Him to show me the way and thanked Him for Jesus. My life was never the same for that day on. I felt like a weight was lifted off of my shoulders and everything looked different. Those around me didn't know what happened but they knew I had changed. God opened my eyes and took my heart of stone and made it to a heart of flesh. Praise Him for saving this sinner. (That is the short version, there is much more I could write, but it would be a book!)
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