I just got home from a wonderful Thanksgiving service at church! Congregation was really small (8 people), but it was great to hear the word of God, and all verses of giving thanks. I wanted to share them with you.
For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good he has given you. Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today.
--Deuteronomy 8:7-11
Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When Iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! By awesome deeds you answer us with righteousness, O God of our salvation, the hope of all the ends of the earth and the farthest seas; the one who by his strength established the mountains, being girded with might; who stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; you provide their grain, for so you have prepared it. You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, softening it with showers, and blessing its growth. You crown the year with our bounty; your wagon tracks overflow with abundance. The pastures of the wilderness overflow, the hills gird themselves with joy, the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, the valleys deck themselves with grain, they shout and sing together for joy. --Psalm 65:1-13
On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he was them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And then he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well." --Luke 17:11-19
These verses were so inspiring to me! And our priest gave us a very interesting idea for Thanksgiving: try and notice all the little things people do for you tomorrow, even the guy in the car who lets you cross the street before he keeps driving! And give thanks to God, of course, for all the blessings you have. I am blessed to have a very good church, wonderful and supportive family members, encouraging friends who are devoted to Christ like I am, great teachers and an excellent education, for so many opportunities for me to experience the world (dance, swimming, speech, music, and church), and to be blessed with little things I quite often take for granted, like a phone, computer, electricity, heat (I take that for granted a lot, especially being from a place where I wear a snow jacket more than I wear a sundress!), a bed, clothing, food, clean water, and even the pencils I use to underline important Bible verses! What are you thankful for? Tell me about it!
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Love,
Kayla
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