Today is the day that most North American's will be stuffing their faces with turkey and dressing. The turkey has always managed to get off scot free in our house, but there's always plenty of other scrumptious vegetarian dressing and goodies to eat.
But as we stop and ponder this day, let's think about what we have to be thankful for. Honestly, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
As I've been thinking about this, my mind keeps coming back to one thing: What Christ did on Calvary!
How could we ask for any more than what God has already
given us at Calvary? We are told, “The heart of God yearns over His earthly
children with a love stronger than death. In giving up His Son, He has poured
out to us all heaven in one gift. The Savior’s life and death and intercession,
the ministry of angels, the pleading of the Spirit, the Father working above
and through all, the unceasing interest of heavenly beings, all are enlisted in
behalf of man’s redemption.”[i] He did not give
just any gift, “He gave the choicest
gift of Heaven, and [as a result] the treasures of Heaven are at our command.”[ii]
Yes, what an amazing gift we have received! Yet most of us today still do not comprehend or understand
the significance of this gift and we do not claim the fullness that it brings. Instead
we spend our lives going in circles trying to discover who we are, and how to
fulfill our needs and reach our potential destiny. But contrary to what our
modern culture tells us, this life is not to be about us.
Inspiration tells us bluntly, “Self is our greatest enemy,
and day by day each must strive for victory.”[iii]
That’s why we so desperately need to understand the gospel! Because until we
stop seeking to fulfill self’s desires and self’s agenda, and learn to start spending
our time seeking to discover who He is, we will stay on a endless
“mir-ago-round,” going nowhere real fast.
One of the most well known and quoted passages in all of
Scripture is that of John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his
only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.” Although most of us probably know this verse by heart, how
often do we stop to contemplate the significance it has over our lives today?
God – The
greatest being
So Loved – The
greatest principle
The World – The
greatest people in need (that’s us)
That He Gave –
The greatest action
His Only Begotten Son
– The greatest gift
That Whosoever Believeth
– The greatest invitation
Might not Perish
– The greatest rescue from the greatest disaster
But have Eternal Life
– The greatest lasting privilege and eternal joy
I think this is the REASON we all have to be MOST THANKFUL today!!! So, take time to thank the Lord today. Without this gift, life would be pointless.
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