Hi Ya'll. This is your IV Blog. Yes, I have been MIA for quite a while. Since the past is in the past, I thought it good to start writing again. This month is November. We often think about the major holiday at the end of the month, Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, as you may know, started when the first pilgrims from across the ocean came to live in America and stopped to give thanks to God for helping them get through their first year in a new land. Imagine coming to a new land across the ocean. The ocean possibly does not have a name. The land has no comforts. There are no societies, clubs, universities, malls, and plowed lands. There is no promise of food. There are no freinds to welcome them to this new land. As far as they know, they might be the only ones there. The winter is cold, the summer is hot. There is no air conditioning or heater. They won't be able to run to the store or back to England if they forgot something. In many ways, you as college students have left every comfort of family, home cooked food, and all things familiar to come get an education. Some of us have not. It is because of hard work by our families that we are able to enjoy comforts where ever we are. Some of us, do not have any support, we are pulling ourselves along by our own efforts. Whatever circumstance we find ourselves in, the Lord God says to give thanks.
I Thessalonians 5:18 says "give thanks in all circumstances."
This is among a list of other commands. Thanks means "an expression of gratitude" from Google's definition. From the Webster 1828 dictionary, gratitude means
An emotion of the heart, excited by a favor or benefit received; a sentiment of kindness or good will towards a benefactor; thankfulness. Gratitude is an agreeable emotion, consisting in or accompanied with good will to a benefactor,and a disposition to make a suitable return of benefits or services, or when no return can be made, with a desire to see the benefactor prosperous and happy. Gratitude is a virtue of the highest excellence, as it implies a feeling and generous heart, and a proper sense of duty.
God wants us to realize what He has done for us. We really do have reason to be thankful to Him for providing for us. We have many comforts in life. There is always food nearby. We have His help in every trouble. We can ask Him for anything. Jesus gave thanks when He broke bread and established the practice of communion with His disciples. He gave thanks before multiplying the 5 loaves and two fish. In the Old Testament, God commanded a sacrifice of thanksgiving with real animals. God deserves our praise, but we must accept this and understand it for ourselves. We must understand what God has done for us as individuals, and also as families, peoples, countries etc. It is good to give thanks for it moves our eyes off ourselves and onto God who is to be Lord of our lives. Thanks. Thanksgiving. Gratitude. What has God done in your life? Have you thanked him for it? It is right to give thanks and praise.
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