Thanksgiving Anyway

http://www.WRFnet.org/articles/article.asp?id=248 | November 2001 | Thomas C. Vanden Heuvel

[RnMomof7]

As many of you know we had a beloved 17 month old grandson drown in May,yet our family will continue to celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of our God.

May you all be blessed with this devotional. Happy Thanksgiving!

[RnMomof7]

A Thanksgiving flag to the people of God!

[Mahone]

Sorry about your loss, but Romans 8:28 is still true and still the greatest comfort there is, especially when applied to our hearts by THE COMFORTER.

It is true as well that thanklessness is at the root of all sins we commit. May this be one of the most thankful of Thanksgiving and may all who call it "Turkey Day" get the bad end of the wishbone! :-)

[Khepera]

bump

Thank you

[sola gracia]

As always, my heart is warmed and my spirit cheered. Thanks! The quote from Habbakuk is one of my favorites. If you get a chance, read the verse that precedes those verses. Wow, what faith!! Increase my faith Lord.

[sola gracia]

bump

[sola gracia]

A sovereign bump to you all.

[He Rides A White Horse]

Jesus and His disciples sang at the institution of the Lord’s Supper on the night He was betrayed. Listen also to Paul and Silas in the prison- dungeon in Philippi. We read: “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them”

They can never take Him away from us..........and that makes the Evil One furious.

[He Rides A White Horse]

That singing was akin to punches in the face to Goat Boy.

[jude24]

As many of you know we had a beloved 17 month old grandson drown in May,yet our family will continue to celebrate the goodness and faithfulness of our God.

And it's the more powerful because you posted it. Testament to your faith in God.

[George W. Bush]

The father was full of guilt as he grieved, and could find no answer or relief. He said, “I cannot sleep or eat. I killed my son.” As he and I looked at Scripture, we read Proverbs 20:24:“A man's steps are directed by the by the Lord.” “Do you believe this?” I asked. “Yes,” he replied. “What if the verse said ‘A three-year-old’s steps are directed by the Lord.’ Would you believe that?” I probed. He paused. With tear-filled eyes he answered, “Yes, I do believe that.”

One can readily see why the doctrines of sovereignty and Calvinist teachings are such a comfort. What despair people must feel when under the sway of Arminianism, thinking that God is far away, that God is indifferent to the fate of His children.

We should be glad that the father in the story had a sound pastor to offer him the comfort of the knowledge of God's sovereignty in all matters.

[CCWoody]

I cry out with my whole heart; hear me, O lord! Put my tears into Your bottle; Are they not in Your book? - The Word of God

[4Godsoloved..Hegave]

Thanks RnMomf7 for posting that meditation.

My dear friend and her family buried their delightful 2- 1/2 yr. old son in a drowning incident in their backyard 14 yrs. ago. Their faith in our Lord waned over the time after. Since then our precious Lord has saved me and my family I am sending it on to them with a prayer that their hearts are healed and their relationship with our Lord Jesus is rekindled and burns brighter than ever.

To God be the glory!

But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14
Amen!

[Dahlseide]

My family has been spared the loss of a child. I cannot claim to believe that all children, universally, are saved. I do know however that should I ever personally suffer the loss of a grandchild I would claim many scriptures including II Thessalonians 4:13 through 18.

But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him...........Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

I take it that all Christians would do the same as I. God will bring comfort, through hope, to all who have suffered - and that by the way includes suffering for children born with birth defects

[Jerry_M]

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. - Hebrews 13:15

Note a couple of things about the nature of thanksgiving in this verse:

1) It is called the "sacrifice of praise". As King David said, "...neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing." (2 Sam 24:24) Any meaningful sacrifice always has a price attached.

2) It is to be offered "continually", even when we don't feel like it! (Part of that "I won't sacrifice that which doesn't cost me" concept again.)

3) It is accomplished "by Him". It is only in, through, and by the power of Jesus Christ are we able to comply with the requirements of this verse.

4) Just as it is only possible to offer this sacrifice "by Him", we also see that the thanksgiving is to be given "to His name". This is not a general giving of thanks to no particular target, but a thanksgiving that knows why it is thankful.

Thanksgiving everyday!

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Deepest condolences to your family and thank you, RnMomof7, for this moving devotional. I have tears in my eyes this morning.

While many deride the doctrines of sovereignty, claiming that they make God cruel and heartless, they provide, in the most difficult times of doubt and pain, the greatest and surest comfort. To know that underneath us are the everlasting arms of a heavenly father is the foundation of real thanksgiving.

The Heidelberg Catechism 28 says,

Q: What does it profit to know that God has created, and by His providence still upholds all things?

A: That we may be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity and with a view to the future may have good confidence in our faithful God and Father that no creature shall separate us from His love, since all creatures are so in His hand that without His will they cannot so much as move. God Bless.

[dadwags]

thanks for the flag, rnmom,
I had a similsr experience when my beloved wife of 34 years was taken from me and our children , about 10 years ago. Since then, The Lord has truly blessed us in many ways .

[RnMomof7]

My dear friend and her family buried their delightful 2- 1/2 yr. old son in a drowning incident in their backyard 14 yrs. ago. Their faith in our Lord waned over the time after. Since then our precious Lord has saved me and my family I am sending it on to them with a prayer that their hearts are healed and their relationship with our Lord Jesus is rekindled and burns brighter than ever.

Your post touched my heart.Thank you and I will pray for your friend.

I was really enjoying this meditation ,and thinking about sharing it for a Thanksgiving "prayer" here on FR.. then when I got to the end and the example he gave it .I was reminded of the words from the Book of Esther "for just such a time"...I forwarded it to my daughter in law with a note telling her that I loved her..

So we will pray for God to touch two hearts with His healing balm.

[RnMomof7]

Thanksgiving everyday!

That gets a very big smile and Amen.

I was recently in a discussion on another forum on "mega churches" .One in particular has NO praise time on Sundays..as they want to appeal to the unsaved.. The pastor defending the practice said "the unsaved don't like the worship" he went on to say the "can not worship anyway"

I asked him what right they had to rob God of His worship ,just because the heathans don't like it??

But it did start me thinking of the nature of Praise and thanksgiving and worship Jerry. I had noticed that the unsaved didn't like the worship...but I had never considered that they not only refuse to give God the worship and thanksgiving He deserves and demands..but they are not able to worship. He gives us the ability to thank Him.He gives us the ability to praise Him..we are only returning to Him what is already His..all Praise,all glory and all thanksgiving !

You post was a confirmation of a new realization to me.....

[EternalVigilance]

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Thank God for His everlasting, living Word.

As someone who has experienced much in the course of my life, including a Mom who was too sick to raise me (I didn't meet her until I was a teen), the deaths of of 3 of my children (one during pregnancy, a son at one day old, and a daughter at 7 months), and a wife of twenty years who suddenly walked out on me, I can tell you that without the Lord, and His Book, I would have laid down and died long ago...

As it is, though, I have Hope.

Eternal Vigilance...