What's In A Thanks?
Thank You.
Thank You. Thank You. Thank You.
Be Thankful.
Thank You God.
Thanksgiving.
I Can't Thank You Enough.
Say "Thank You".
Give Thanks.
Bow Your Head.
Say "Grace".
What Do You Say?
Did You Say "Thank You"?
What Can I Do To Thank You?
Words Are Not Enough To Express My Thanks.
A Simple Word, Thanks.
thank
[thangk]
verb (used with object)
1.
to express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment to
2.
thank God, (used interjectionally to express relief) Also, thank goodness, thank heaven.
noun
3.
Usually, thanks. a grateful feeling or acknowledgment of abenefit, favor, or the like, expressed by words or otherwise
interjection
Thursday, November 24, 2011 is a national holiday. This is not just any holiday, it is a High-Holiday. It is a day that we choose to cease from our labors. It is a day that we choose to gather with the friends and family that mean the most to us. But, what makes this a High-Holiday, is that we purposely, and deliberately, and intently invite God, our Father, our Creator into our homes and choose to make Him our guest of honor.
We thank you, Father, for your many bountiful gifts. We thank you for your great gift of your presence in our gathering. We thank you that you gave your son. We thank you that he offered, and you accepted, his life of obedience as payment for our blessing. We thank you that you have blessed us with your spirit of life that raised Jesus from the grave.
When you stop on this High-Holiday and give thanks, to truly give thanks to the Father, for all that he has done for you --- Stop --- Listen --- Feel. The Father's "you're welcome" is your heart filled with abundance of faith in Him! Give thanks to our Father, our Creator, our Guest of Honor. Give him thanks and let him fill your heart with faith.
I thank God every time I think of you!
Happy Thanksgiving Courtney!
Dad
Colossians 2:6-7
"As therefore ye have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted and built up in him, and assured in the faith, even as you have been taught, abounding in faith with thanksgiving."
THANKS, Part II
ReplyDeleteThanks from a Foreigner
"Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, This shall be the LAW of the leper in the day of his cleansing. Now he shall be brought to the priest ..." (Lev 14:1-2)
Ten Lucky Lepers
The passage in Leviticus goes on to layout the required sacrifices and method of presentation for the healing of leprosy. It was with the fulfillment of the prescribed religious sacrifice in mind that Jesus gave instruction to ten diseased men to go and "show themselves to the priest." (Luke 17:11-18)
However, it quickly becomes apparent that we are no longer to follow some detailed, explicit and meticulously described set of sacrificial rules. I don't believe that Jesus was surprised that only one man returned to give thanks, although that appears to be what he expressed at first read. I believe that instead, Jesus was trying to emphasize a critical point of illumination for the disciples: we must watch that in our zeal to pursue God that we do not miss the essence of what He is looking for.
The Samaritan was truly overwhelmed with the touch he received from God and was not hindered by preconceived ideas of the proper religious response. He instead focused on his point of contact with God - the voice that brought him healing.
It occurs to me that:
I will only give thanks when I recognize the source of my blessing.
I will only give thanks when I take the time to truly appreciate my blessings.
I will only give thanks when I take the initiative to express it and not simply think about it.
Like most, I've got my share of preconceived notions of proper worship. I'm encumbered by my share of religious traditions and expressions, and I can't help but look to the institutions that have been erected for that religious expression.
But God has provided his point of contact with me through people, some special people.
So, I hope to consistently show my thanks to these that God has gifted me with.
Father, help me to be a foreigner among the religious. May I recognize the source, appreciate the blessings, and take the initiative to express my THANKS.
Vincent C. Ashoff, A Dad of 3 Daughters