Give Thanks for My God

Over this past weekend, there were many opportunities to express things that we are thankful for. During a wonderful dinner with my family, we took part in our usual family tradition of going around the table, placing our fall-like object (pinecone or corn kernel) in the basket and saying what we thankful for. It's amazing that though we are on this hard road, not a single person struggled to think of something to be thankful for! Amen.

I got to thinking... what new thing am I especially thankful for this year? This last summer, I heard a missionary say that unlike the people he ministers to, there isn't too much he knows about God that he hasn't read in a book. Isn't that so true? We live in a very independent and self-sufficient place where we are quite comfortable with what the world can provide for us. We know about how awesome God is because we read about it in the Bible or in another book or hear about someone else's experience half way across the world.

This year I am especially thankful for the new ways I have been able to know and experience God. I have read in the Bible that He is the God of all comfort who comforts us in times of trouble... but now I know that He is because He has comforted me. Now I know that He is my refuge, strength and ever-present help in trouble because I'm in trouble and He is ever-present!

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed." Psalm 57:1