As I enter into November, I start to look back and look around at all I have to be thankful for. I've always been a grateful person...I know that neither God nor life owes me anything, but I feel so much more thankful and grateful this year than I have in a while. I have a job - and a good job at that. I have a home. A nice one. I have good and decent kids and step kids. I have a wonderful husband whom I love more deeply everyday and in whom I am learning that I really can trust. I have good friends all over the world with whom I stay in contact. I have the most supportive and fabulous family I could ever hope for (even though a great many of them are looney toons... hahahah... I'm sure that makes sense if you know me - it's all the same stock, you know!) I have a good church that preaches the Word of God and extends grace and love and has a fabulous kids ministry. My finances are starting to get back on their feet from the divorce. My heart has healed. All of these things are not to be mistaken as my own working - I could not have accomplished any of these things without the strength and guidance of Christ in me. It reminds me of the promises made to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 6:
" 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates.
10 When the Lord your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, 11 houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, 12 be careful that you do not forget the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "
There have been many times I have failed God, and many times I have outright disobeyed. But all in all, I knew His ways are perfect and I ran back to my Father's arms quickly. When I did not have the strength to do right on my own, I wrote His commandments on my heart, I impressed them to my children, I talked about them while sitting at home, while out and about, and I wrote them all over my house - doors, mirrors, walls, everywhere. Because I choose life and God's desires over my own, he has now blessed me with a life I did not build, a house filled with goods I did not provide, wells and vineyards that I have not dug nor planted. And I will be careful to not forget the Lord who has brought me out of the dark slavery of bitterness and hate. I will love Him with all my heart, soul, and strength.
I am thankful for a great many temporary things. But I am learning to be even more thankful for the eternal. I am more thankful for my God and my relationship with Him this year than ever before. I never cease to be amazed by Jehovah. What an awesome, mighty God I serve and what a privilege to be called His child.
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