Woodland Hills Church of Christ

Sunday, November 19, 2006 Volume 50, Issue 45

THANKSGIVING REFLECTIONS

      "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" (I Thess. 5:18). The holiday of Thanksgiving is upon us. It is a day to which we look with great anticipation. On this day people give thanks with feasting and prayer for the blessings they have received during the past year. The very mention of Thanksgiving often calls up warm memories of old farm houses, crowded with family and friends. One looks fondly back to Grandma's pantry filled from corner to corner with food fit for a king.

      Christians above all others should be a thankful people! Why, one may ask? Because Christians have more going for them than any one else on earth. Oh, Christians may loose jobs, have financial problems, have family problems and just problems in general. But we should be thankful people, because we as Christian have the Almighty God on our side! "What shall we say then to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31) "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulations, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Rom. 8:35) Will any of these things change the love of Christ? They will not. When one is separated from God it is of his own choosing, turning his back on God. We Christians do indeed have a lot going for us (Rom. 8:31-39) And looking at this we should be a courageous people, an optimistic people, and above all, a thankful people.

      Christians should be thankful for the physical blessings of this life. The very earth on which we live is a blessing from God (Gen. 1:1). And as we gather around the table this Thanksgiving we should remember that the food that is placed before us comes from God's hand (Gen. 1:11-12; 24). The great bounty, the reason for our feast, is a blessing from God, he sends the rain that "the increase of the ground will be fat and plenteous" (Isa. 30:23). As one looks around the table he ought to be thankful for his family, for God said "it is not good that man should be alone" (Gen. 2:18). He then created woman establishing the first family (Gen. 2:21-24). One's mate is truly a blessing from God. The children of the family are also a blessing of God (Ps. 127:4-5). The grandchildren bring much delight and are a blessing to the grandparents (Prov. 17:6). The house in which we gather to feast is another blessing from God, the shelter, warmth, comfort and security of that home we often overlook. But again, these gifts come from the hand of God (Jas. 1:17).

      In Addition to Physical Blessings There Are Also Spiritual Blessings for the Christian. One should be thankful for God's unconditional love (Rom. 5:8). This love is undying and everlasting (Jer. 31:3). This love of God motivated Him to give His only begotten Son that we might have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16). The love of Christ is like that of God (Jn. 15:9). As a result of Christ's love and obedience (Heb. 5:8-9) we are blessed with access to the spiritual blessings of God. Where we are adopted as sons and daughters (Eph. 1:5), we are accepted (Eph.1:6), and we find redemption and forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7). Christ promised to prepare a home in heaven for a prepared people (Jn. 14:1-3). Which are referred to by Peter with these word; "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood,...But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people;" (I Peter 2:5,9). Even the way God looks upon us is a blessing to us. Surely, with these thoughts in mind Christians ought to be a very thankful people. If we keep these thoughts in our mind daily, it should motivate us to serve God to the best of our ability.

  Jeff O'Dell

TAFT TALK
We are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

THANKFULNESS

In the year 1798 President George Washington proclaimed that the people of the United States annually celebrate a day of public thanksgiving and prayer and acknowledge with grateful hearts the many favors Almighty God has bestowed on our nation. It was a good idea then and it is still a good idea!

Perhaps the following poem entitled, The World Is Mine, will help us reflect on what we have and be more thankful.

Today upon a bus, I saw a lovely maid
with golden hair;
I envied her, she seemed so gay,
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle,
She had one foot and wore a crutch,
But as she passed, a smile.
O, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two feet, the world is mine!

And when I stopped to buy some sweets,
The lad who sold them had such charm,
I talked with him, he said to me,
"It's nice to talk with folks like you,
You see," he said, "I'm blind."
O, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes, the world is mine!

Then walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue.
He stood and watched the others play;
It seemed he knew not what to do.
I stopped a moment, then I said:
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
And then I knew he could not hear.
O, god, forgive me when I whine,
I have two ears, the world is mine!

With feet to take me where I'd go,
With eyes to see the sunset's glow,
With ears to hear what I would knew,
O, God, forgive me when I whine,
I'm blessed indeed...the world is mine!

By Roger Johnson
Columbus GA