Thanksgiving Eve thoughts

 Oh give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1 ESV) That is where we are at right now. It is Thanksgiving Eve, meaning that tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. (I know, that is something that goes without saying, though I had to say it.) We are giving thanks for the many blessings that the Lord gives to us each day. He watches over us and cares for us each and every day, often in ways that we don't even recognize. That is the joy of the steadfast love of the Lord, it comes without our merit or worthiness, without our seeing it and without our asking. Yes, we do see His love at times, but mostly, it comes to us as we live out our lives, without knowing that He is working in our lives.

Do you give thanks? I mean, really give thanks? Paul writes, Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess. 5:18 ESV) Does that means that I am to give thanks even those situations that I don't really like? Today it is raining. I thank God for the rain because it has been really dry. But then again, why did God have to allow the rain today, when people are travelling? And why is it raining right now, the day in which we will have a total of 5 dogs in the yard, meaning that there will be more of a mess to clean up? Am I thankful for the mud? And the mess? While I might be grumbling about it, I am working at being thankful for the mud. Thank You God for the rain and the mud. I can't have one without the other. Help me to be thankful, dear Lord.

This is a challenging time for us. There is such a difference in opinions as things are moving forward. To shut down or not to shut down. To keep the restaraunt open or to close it down. To let families get together or to turn them in to the police because they are getting together. What are you going to do? Can we give thanks in this time? 

Yes, we can. We still have much to give thanks for. How can I give thanks for the person who has covid? I give thanks that they are not alone but that the Lord is still with them, giving them care at home or in the hospitals. I give thanks for the health care staff. I give thanks for the medicine. I give thanks to the Lord even in this difficult time. The fact is, the Lord is still with us. When covid has passed us by, due to the vaccine and the fact that it runs its course, there will be another illness that we will face. There will still be cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, anxiety, fear, and a whole host of other things that people face each day. It seems to be that because of covid, we have forgotten this fact. The Lord is with us in health and in illness, in good times and bad times, when we are happy and when we are sad. Always. In all things, the Lord says, I am with you always. And again, I will never leave you or forsake you. These promises are sure and certain. You can hold fast to the Lord in faith in all that you are facing.

Giving thanks. I thank God for a new knee. I had to continue to thank Him for that knee even when it was painful and didn't seem to be going as quickly as I would have liked. I thank God for the doctors and nurses, for the physical therapists and for all those who encouraged and prayed for me. I had so much to give thanks for with the replacement. I still have much to give thanks for in my life. I thank God that my heart spasms have ceased. I was having coronary artery heart spasms (the small vessels on the outside of my heart would spasm closed) throughout the day. I was taking nitro several times a day (thank You Lord for that nitro because it really helped and continued to help me continue to live my daily life).  I had much to give thanks for as it was going on. And now that I haven't had any spasms here in 2020 (what a strange thing, in this crazy year, the heart spasms stopped). I give thanks to the Lord as He helped me through the issues for over 8 years, and I give thanks that it has now stopped. So much to give thanks for at this time.

I give thanks for being allowed to continue to serve the Church as a pastor in God's church. I rejoice that I have the opportunity to preach and teach the Word. I rejoice that I can bring God's peace and strength to people who are struggling. I rejoice that I have served an ordained minister since 1987. I think about what God has done through the ministry that He gave me. I thank Him that I am able to be this under-shepherd of the Good Shepherd. I give thanks because I am given this chance to serve the people of St. John Lutheran Church, Clarinda, IA. It thank God that I was allowed to serve people in each of the congregations of which I have been their pastor. I thank God for serving the Lord through the LWML in the congregation, zones, districts and national. I would never have thought I would be serving Him as I have been through these years. I thank the Lord for being able to bring the gospel to so many people in so many places. 

Thank You Lord! Thank You for all that You have done and continue to do for me and through me. I give thanks with a grateful heart. Now, I look foward to the rest of today and these next couple days. I will be able to lead worship tomorrow. And celebrate with my family. Wow! What a wonderful life I have been blessed with. Thanks God.