1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I’m a singer.  I hear something throughout the day that reminds me of a song, and I sing it.  I’m not a great singer and I don’t usually know the whole song, but what I do know gets sung with gusto and joy.  This morning I woke up and started singing “Oh, the Lord is good to me and so I thank the Lord for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed, the Lord is good to me.  Amen… Amen… Amen, Amen, Amen.”  I’m not even sure where I learned that one.  Probably from VBS when I was a kid, but it put me a thankful frame of mind.

The Lord has always been so good to me.  He has walked with me throughout my life even when I wasn’t walking with him.  There were times when I was ashamed of what I was doing, so I didn’t walk with the Lord.  There were times when I thought I could do it all by myself, so I didn’t walk with the Lord.  There were times when I thought I was too cool, so I didn’t walk with the Lord.  But he was ALWAYS with me.  That is the wonderful thing about God.  He loves us with all his heart.  He is not going to force me to love him or to walk with him but as soon as I turn to him, he is there.  My life is sooooo much better with God than without. 

But that doesn’t mean God gives me everything that I want.  Even the song says, “things I need”.  In the song, the Lord gives the sun, the rain and an apple seed, not an apple.  Those are all the things we need to grow an apple.  It is our choice to plant the seed and nurture it while it grows into a tree and begins to produce fruit.  Think about it.  God is not going to give you a house or a car, but he will give you the skills you need to get a job, the willpower you need to save money and the wisdom you need to purchase the house or car that is right for you.  It is your choice to use and nurture the skills, willpower and wisdom God has given you until the fruit begins to grow.

So now I choose to walk with the Lord and thank him daily for what he has given me.  My health, my children, my family, my friends, my career, my home, my bed, my . . . . the list goes on and on.  We really have so much more to be thankful for than most of us realize.  So, as we approach Thanksgiving, I encourage you to be thankful.  Be grateful.  Have an attitude of gratitude because the Lord IS good to you.  Start each day with a prayer of thanksgiving. 

Lord, thank you for walking with me every day of my life.  Thank you for giving me the things that I need. To you be all the glory. Amen.