It's that time of year, everybody is anticipating turkey, pie, and the myriad melody of "ohhhhhh I ate to much... ohhhhhh" But have you ever really paused to think about the meaning of thanksgiving? It has become cliche to say that we should pause to reflect on what we have to be thankful for, which is a bad thing. We should constantly be thankful for what we have, so I'm going to share what it is that I'm thankful for. So much has changed over the past year, I've had to make the transition from being a high school senior living at home to being a college freshman living independently on campus. I've moved from one city to another, from one area of minstry to something else, and from having a job to being a full-time student. I have been blessed in so many ways, and God has given me much to be thankful for. Here is my incomplete list of what it is that I am thankful for:
-God. Simply put, I'm thankful that God is God, otherwise this place we call home would be hopeless. He made this awesome planet that is filled with beauty that proclaims His Majesty. Look around, see the sunset/sunrise? He made them glorious so we could see a small, trivial glimpse of his beauty in the dawn/dusk. He is perfect, He is Just, and He cares. When I feel alone, I am not, for He is with me.
-My salvation. Without salvation, I cannot know how awesome God really is. Because God is Holy, and I am by birth and deed, a sinner, there is a gap. But God loved me (and everyone else) enough to send Jesus to die for us and take our punishment for us. He then rose again and forever defeated sin and death forever. The gap was bridged and now because of grace, I can approach almighty God anytime and bring him my struggles. The chains that once weighed me down are gone, the chasm that divided me from my creator is filled, and the burden I once bore has been taken away.
-Life. I can write this because I am alive. That fact alone is something to be thankful for. Soemtimes, life can be hard, it might seem like for every step forward you take three back and fall on your face. But life is beautiful, if you are reading this God has a purpose for you. We all face struggles, I know I have. Just because I'm thankful for my life doesn't mean that it has been a smooth road, just that I know that it all works out in the end. Life is a precious gift, don't waste it.
-My family. Without them, I do not know where I would be. My Dad is a wonderful father, and a Godly role model who I strive to emulate. If I can be half the man my father is, I will feel like I have done well. He is intelligent, loving, and hard working. I know many people who do not have a father figure who shows them how to be a man of God, and I'm thankful to God for giving me a great father. My sister has been a constant source of encouragement, especially in times when I reach waht feels like rock bottom. There are many other family members that I am thankful for, God has blessed me greatly by allowing me to spend time around them.
-My friends. Once again, I have been blessed with many friends who help me to keep my focus where it belongs. So many good times. This one area where God has blessed me greatly at Union, he has brought people into my life who in the short period that I have known them they are some of the closest friends I have ever had. To my friends who might be reading this: You have no idea how important our friendship is to me. If you need anything, I'm a phone call/text away. Anything at anytime. I love you.
-Union. Hands down, the college that God wanted me to attend. As mentioned above, one big reason is the people. The school is filled with people who love God, and want to give their lives to serve Him. In my first semester, I have become part of a prayer group that meets on monday afternoons. Wow. What a difference it has made in my life, God has used those times to encourage and edify me. The education is great, but it's the positive atmosphere on campus that I'm most thankful for.
-Good music. Without music, I would accomplish next to nothing.
-Food. I'm blessed to have an abundance of food, with what I have, if I go hungry it was my decision. I shouldn't take it for granted, and should be generous with what I have. So let me know of you want something to eat, I'll see what I can do. Seriously.
That's my flawed, incomplete list of what I'm thankful for. So this thanksgiving, and at any other time, just sit down and take a minute to think about what you have to be thankful for. Then thank God for those things, after all, he gave them to you for a reason.
In His Dust,
Matt
(Numbers 6:24-26)
