A Day of Thanks

Thanksgiving Day. A day of love, family and reflection. A day where most of the country stops the hustle and bustle of their busy lives and spends it with their loved ones.  Of course we all know Thanksgiving Day should be every day... but today is a great day to reflect over the past year, congratulate yourself on goals met and start setting some new ones. What are you thankful for? Perhaps you just got a promotion, or a new house. Maybe you got married this year, or became a new parent. Or maybe your year hasn't unfolded quite as you'd envisioned. You may have been laid off, or been given an unexpected diagnosis from your doctor, maybe even had your heart broken. It may not seem so now, but you can be grateful for that too. 

We've all heard Psalms 23. It's one of my absolute favorite chapters in the Bible. But like many things that we see, hear and do on a regular basis, we tend to take it for granted. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want..."(v.1) You may be thinking, "I know, I've heard it a million times, I get it. He takes care of me." But take a few minutes today to really reflect on that entire chapter. You may have heard it all your life, but you have also breathed all your life and still need that next breath of oxygen to live as much as you did the day you were born. Lamentations 3:22-23 tells us, "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness." The word of God is life. When we take the time to reflect on its truths, it, like the oxygen we breathe, gives us life. It's the one book that we could read every day and take something different from it each and every time. 

Back to Psalms 23. The first verse in itself could be a whole study! I shall not want! Meaning not only does He know and meet my needs, but He knows my needs even before I do! That's God! Before you lost your job He was already paving the way for your next one. Before you became ill, God already had your cure. Before your last relationship fell apart, God was already preparing the one who would take their place. When God is your shepherd, you shall not want! That alone brings me so much peace. If I as a parent find joy in providing the needs for my children, and am constantly thinking ahead to make sure they continue to have their needs met, how much more does our Heavenly Father find joy in meeting our needs? I could almost feel Davids conviction when he says "I SHALL NOT WANT." Period. If the Lord is my shepherd and I allow Him to lead me, instead of me trying to stray and be the one to call the shots, He will supply my EVERY need. And He will do it in a way so much better than I could have ever dreamed it for myself.

For your ease and convenience I'm going to post it right here, so you can read and meditate on it today. Maybe even do a few internet searches on it. Quick tangent: It was pretty annoying when I did my initial search on "The Lord is my shepherd". The first 2 search options were: the lord of the rings and the lord of the flies. Seriously? If the world sought God the way we were created to then it wouldn't be in the state it's in. But back to topic. I've included the entire chapter below. I encourage you to take 5 minutes (or more) from your fb/ig/twitter time and maybe after you've eaten and are digesting that delicious meal, you can also digest on the truths of the passage below. Reflect on how relevant it has been for you and how you believe it will be for you in the future. 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends, family and loved ones, and remember to thank the One who blessed you with so much love.

Be blessed! 

P

Psalms 23

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.