“Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Psalm 106:1)
Even though we’re seeing the retail Christmas all around us, let’s not forget the holiday that comes in November…Thanksgiving. Yes, we’re surely thankful for God’s gift to us in Jesus but there are many other things for us to be thankful for, not just in November but all year long.
I’ve seen on Facebook recently where people are telling of something they are thankful for each day. I was reminded recently of an old hymn that speaks to this, “Count Your Blessings” by Johnson Oatman, Jr. from 1897. The chorus begins with: “Count your blessings, name them one by one, Count your blessings, see what God has done!” You can listen to a version of it here: https://youtu.be/FZECFq4BvRQ?feature=shared. I’m thinking this would be a good thing for us to do as we approach Thanksgiving Day. We all have been blessed in many ways. So how about we take up a challenge and actually count our blessings. Get a notebook, your phone or computer and start making a list of your blessings. Count and record them and add to the list each day as blessings come to your mind. I think we will be encouraged by how good God has been to us and as we thank Him for all these things, He will be pleased as well. We will see how loving and generous our God really is. Are you up for the challenge? Start today and keep adding to your list. God is good!
“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, 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,” (Psalm 103:1-4)