Hosanna Restoration Church

Deep in my heart I will always be so thankful to God for saving me. I will always be thankful for the way He has led me and loved me. I am forever grateful for the wonderful wife, children, and family that He has given me, and for allowing me the privilege of being a pastor. This list could easily go on and on, and I am sure that as you read this long lists of things come to your minds as well. Everyone has something to thankful for. I am also sure that we are all guilty of not showing it from time to time.

Having said that, I am challenged to show it like the Lord wants me to. I have so much to be thankful for, that I should act like I am thankful. Not just some of the time, but all of the time. This scripture tells me to let my life overflow with thanksgiving. Well, Jesus said that if we do it to one of His little ones, we have done it to Him. So in my daily life, my interaction with others should be an overflow of my thanksgiving to God for all He has done. I say I am thankful for my wife and children. God help me to convey to them how thankful I am.

As I was thinking about Thanksgiving and the idea of being always thankful a question came to mind. If someone were to describe me, would thankful be one of the words they would use. Now that I mention that, I wonder just what words people would use! I know that we do not live to please people, but what they think of us does reflect a bit of how much of God we are allowing to shine through our lives.

Well one thing is for certain, when God starts pouring these things into my heart, even if no one else needs it, I sure do. I guess this is all part of letting my roots grow down deep into Him so I will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in what He has taught me.

I have to say that many things that once seemed so elementary in my walk with God suddenly challenge me my very core. Suddenly I realize that there is nothing elementary in what Jesus said. How do I begin to do what He has said? Oh, it would be wonderful if it were only as complicated as we would like to make it. If it were so complicated then we would have more excuses. But basically, Jesus tells us to just do it. He said it before Nike.

If I understand in my spirit that I need to be more thankful, then I better just do it. If I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me in this, He will. I pray that each day finds us all growing in our gratitude to God and in our revealing the evidence of a grateful heart for all the world to see.