Thanksgiving 2020

            The past year has not been a bed of roses hardly for anyone. We have been plagued by a pandemic which is not the usual thing in our day. The Pandemic has caused us to do a lot of different things and to evaluate our lifestyle. Jobs have changed. Businesses have changed. All kinds of adjustments have been made. Even missionaries are using new methods to reach people with the Gospel. If that were not enough, most of us have experienced new kinds of health issues. After all, we are a year older than we were last year at this time. I have spent more time in doctor's offices this year than ever before only now I have to sit and breathe through a mask which when no one is looking, I sneak a breath of fresh air which has been saturated with hand sanitizer. For some, you just want to sit down and cry. For others, we rejoice in the fact that God fully knows what is going on. Psalm 100:1-5 says, “A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

             This is the Thanksgiving Psalm. The believers are the sheep of His pasture and we are to enter into His gates with Thanksgiving. And into His courts with praise. We are to be thankful to Him and to Bless His name, even in 2020, the year of the mysterious pandemic. First Thessalonians 5:18 tells us, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” How many times have we sought to do God's will? We find many books written on how to find God's will and yet here it is plain and simple. It is not by all means complete but it is one of the ways in which we are to do God's will. We are to give God thanks for everything. This might be a tough piece of turkey to swallow, after all, there is a pandemic, but nevertheless, God says to give Him thanks in every thing. Keeping that in mind, we say “Thanks God for getting my attention. Thanks God for providing the food on my table today. Thanks God for giving me a night's sleep. Thanks God for the people who are stepping up to fill the needs of people around the world. Thanks God for the hope that we have in You. Thanks God for making the best place ever for us in which to spend eternity.” Praise God today and thank Him for all that He has done for you yesterday, today and tomorrow.