Give thanks with a grateful heart; Give thanks to
the Holy One; Give thanks
because He’s given Jesus Christ His Son.
And now let the weak say, “I am strong:”
Let the poor say “I am rich,”
because of what the Lord has done for us.”
“You say grace before
meals. All right. But I say grace
before the concert and the
opera, and grace before the play and pantomine, and grace before I open a book,
and grace before sketching, painting, and swimming and fencing, boxing,
walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” G. K.
Chesterton.
A theme running through my thoughts these past weeks
has been my identity
as a Christian. Recently in a talk to my
fellow high school graduates, I shared with them these comments: “Dr. Edwin Lutzer, Senior pastor of Moody Church
Chicago stated that the most explosive verses in the Scriptures were from
John’s gospel (1:13-14): “He was in the
world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto
His own, and His own received
Him not. But as many as received Him, to
them He gave the right to become the sons, even to them that believe on His
name; which were born of God, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor
of the will of man, but of God...”Having made the decision to receive Jesus as
my Savior, a decision prompted by His gift of grace, I would discover that I
had become a member of the royal family of God, a joint-heir with Jesus. I had also found a life companion to
take me through the crucibles that would follow.” I remind you that you
too are royalty if you
are a believer in Him. We who live in two kingdoms at once, know the surpassing
blessing of being children of the King of the universe. So as this special Thanksgiving
season
approaches, we can offer a pre-eminent and deeply felt gratitude for our redemption.
Andre Crouch gave us these lines to express
it so marvelously:
How
can
I say thanks
for the things You have done for me-
Things so undeserved,
yet You give to prove Your love for me?
The voices of a million angels
Could not express my gratitude-
All that I am and ever hope to be,
I owe it all to Thee.
To God be the glory, To God be the glory;
To God be the glory for the things he has done.
With His blood He has saved me;
With His power He has raised me;
To God be the glory for the things he has done.
Just let me live my life:
Let it be pleasing, Lord, to Thee.
And should I gain any praise,
Let it go to Calvary.
With His blood He has saved me;
With His power He has raised me;
To God be the glory for the things he has done.
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