“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Psalm 100:1-5
When I think of Thanksgiving, I like to picture a family seated around a long wooden table, sharing good food and sharing long lists of things they are thankful for.
Thankful for the big things, like family and health and friends. But also thankful for the small things, like windows to welcome in the sunshine and fuzzy socks on chilly evenings.
But if we’re being honest, Thanksgiving doesn’t always look like this.
Sometimes Thanksgiving reminds us of things we have lost. Or it reminds us of families that are divided. Or it leaves us feeling isolated and alone. Or it forces us to try to put on a smile when inside, we are falling apart.
Wherever we’re at this Thanksgiving, and whatever feelings this holiday brings, I challenge us to pray Psalm 100.
This short psalm reminds us of a beautiful truth: the greatest thing we have to be thankful for, no matter what we are going through, is that we belong to Him.
We belong to God. He made us. He crafted us with beauty and intention and purpose, like an artist working on a unique masterpiece. He walks alongside us with every breath we take, because He loves us with an enduring, everlasting love.
We don’t always know what we’re doing. We get confused and lost. We don’t always look at our lives and see long lists of things to be thankful for.
But God has adopted us into His love and made us His own. And so we have everything we need.
Dear God, there is so much to thank you for. Thank you for loving us and for making us yours. Thank you for being faithful to your people for generations and generations. May we never stop approaching you with thanksgiving and praise. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Never forget… you are onederfully created.
Love,
Becca
