A Time Of Reflection

"Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom" Psalm 145:3. Thanksgiving should always be a day of reflection as well as a day of praise and thanksgiving. For many years I've kept a journal and today I have been reading about the events in our family that began a year ago. At that time it was becoming very obvious that my father-in-law, my father, and my brother were suffering very serious physical ailments. We were overwhelmed at the prospect of caring for them in the days ahead. And during this year the Lord did choose to take all three of them home to be with Him. And we had to deal with their sickness, and then the grief of their passing, and then the hard work of settling estates which still continues today. During those times my personal daily prayer was for wisdom, strength, and peace in dealing with these experiences. And, as I reflect upon the year, I realize again how great God was in all that has transpired. He answered my prayers in remarkable ways. We deeply miss all three, but God has been faithful. And we know all three are enjoying the beauty of heaven. I am reminded of the chorus that says, "Through it all, through it all, oh I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God. Through it all, through it all, I've learned to depend upon His word." How true that has been. And these experiences give us hope and encouragement to move forward and face the unknowns of tomorrow. Again we are experiencing some unexpected and difficult challenges, but we know that God has been faithful and that He will continue to meet every need that we face. So today we reflect upon the many blessings God has given us - both spiritual and material. We thank Him for salvation and for His daily presence in our lives. We thank Him for our family and our great heritage. We thank Him for friends and for opportunities to serve Him. We thank Him for His Word and His promises to us. And we thank Him for the hope of a new home in heaven where there will no longer be sickness and sin and sorrow. As Psalm 145:3 says - He is great, He is most worthy of our praise, and we can't even begin to fathom His love and His blessings to us. God is good - all the time. Have a special Thanksgiving Day as you reflect upon His greatness.