2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his[a];
we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4. Enter his gates with Thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him, and praise his name.
5 For the Lord is good, and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:1-5
Today, a manager at a local restaurant held the door open and happily exclaimed, “Happy Thanksgiving!” I replied, “Happy Thanksgiving to you! How are you today?” His reponse, ” I am great! I am better than I should be!” His comment struck me. I replied, “Aren’t we all?” You see, it doesn’t matter whether your year has gone perfectly because there have been some positive experiences along the way. It doesn’t matter if you are ill because today you are alive and able to give thanks for breathing and being upright. We are able to give thanks because we serve a Mighty God who is always in our midst with unconditional love.
In the middle of family gatherings, friends, lunch and dinner engagements, and travel, let’s pause. How do we respond to the holiday of Thanksgiving? Do we flippantly reflect on the year and think that it has been good, so yes, we are thankful? How do we show thankfulness if the year has brought about many challenges? Do we give thanks? The question is, how do you give praise to the Lord? Is it boldly, or is it ritualistic? Is it only when times are good, or do you remember him in the tough times?
As we give thanks for people, positive outcomes, family, friends, and the future, we must always remember the Creator, the one responsible for making us. There is nothing that we do that does not come from Him. We don’t do anything alone. So this Thanksgiving, as you remember and give thanks, know that the Lord is good, He is love, and He is faithful at all times.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Coffee Reflections 