Giving Thanks

As I woke up this morning with the obvious thoughts about Thanksgiving and gratitude. I really started looking at how we as Christ followers look at the topic.

Here are just a few of my thoughts on thankfulness or giving thanks.............

• Psalms 106 and 107 say "give thanks to the Lord because of His goodness" He has been so good to us. I have noticed that so many of you have posted all over Facebook and Twitter how thankful you are today.... on Thanksgiving. But how about tomorrow, or next week?  Will we still thankful then? It's a choice.
• Giving thanks is an attitude, a choice. One that should be an easy choice for those of us who follow Jesus. Phil 4:6 says that we should "not be anxious, but in everything pray with thankgiving". So pray with an attitude of thanks.
• Col 2:6 says that after we receive Christ that "we should walk in Him, rooted, built up and abounding with thanksgiving".  So as we grow in the Lord, we should be overflowing with thanks and it should totally be obvious to others. Abounding, hmmm?
• Jeremiah 5 says that "people were rebuked for not thanking God for their harvest" So among the people of God, giving thanks was expected and done as a common daily practice for thousands of years.

I have learned that having an attitude of thanks in my prayer life helps me give the glory back to God. He alone is the reason why my life and family are so blessed. When we neglect to give thanks, we fail to recognize God as the source of every good and perfect thing.

So tell Him thanks today.  Tell those people around you thanks, but most importantly remember to be thankful tomorrow and the next day, and the next day, and the next day............................................


blessing,
dave

Favor

So last night I had some time after everyone went to bed to watch some football, quietly alone in my den.  One thing you should know about me is that I am not a "hater". I love the game of football and would watch any team play as long as it is good football.

As I sat there watching the game I saw what looked like a poor and almost laughable performance by a one time collage standout named Tim Tebow. The game was anything but entertaining.  Low scoring and predictable.  But as I got closer to the end of the game I heard the announcer say that as the game gets closer to the end, it would become "Tebow Time". I laid there thinking "really"? He looked horrible.  Then the stage was set, he had to take the team more then 90 yards with under 2 minutes to go. Now, if you are passing quarterback like Brees or Rogers then you can sit in the pocket and light it up. Seen it a thousand times.  But if you only throw a few times a game like Tebow then how are you gonna do it?

Well, he did it. He capped it off with a long run to score the final touchdown himself. Wow!

As I watched his post game interview, stunned and truly baffled at what I had just seen, I starting thinking about God.   Tim has been one, if not the most, vocal Christ follower that I can remember.  He said last night that he was proud of his team and teammates but the most important part of his success is that it gives him the platform to tell people about Jesus.  Yep, he says Jesus on national TV.  Not just last night, but all of the time.  In fact there is even a phenomenon where people are dropping to on knee and looking like they are saying a quick prayer.  And what do they call this? You guessed it, "Tebow-ing"

So all of this points me back to God.  The only possible explanation that I have for what we have all witnessed the past 5 weeks is "favor".  More specifically God's favor.

Proverbs says that we should "diligently seek" it.
It also says that there is "favor among the righteous".
Psalms say that "the Lord will compass the righteous with favor like a shield".
and Job said pray to the Lord that He will be favorable to you

I can not remember witnessing a more overwhelming sense of favor (on TV at least) then what I felt last night watching Tebow speak.  And pray for Tim Tebow.  He is a man who hits his knees everyday like you and I.  If you asked him, I am sure he would appreciate your prayers.  Pray that God is glorified through Tim and that He will continue to be do a work through Tim's life.  Pray for that locker room that the light and hope of Jesus Christ is evident in Tim's walk.

blessings,
dave