Time keeps on moving, moving, moving… into the future! Maybe somebody should write a song to that…. Oh, skip it. Somebody already did!
I thought of that as I pondered that in a few short days, we will be celebrating once again, Thanksgiving. Where did all the time go? It’s moving so fast. Somehow Thanksgiving snuck up on me and I have to start thinking of something to be thankful for. I wonder if we have anything to be thankful for? That’s why I’m going to try to address the concept of thanksgiving in each of my messages this week.
Let’s start with this one that I found in the book of Daniel this morning. Daniel was praying and in his prayer he spoke to God and said,
“Act out of who You are, not out of what we are.” Daniel 9:17 MSG
Aren’t there just times you wished you could come of with powerful stuff like that? I mean, that’s really powerful. Of course Daniel knows that God is constant, He never changes. So, it’s not as if He is going to change His character because of something we do, or don’t do. It’s not that He’s going to start pouting because we didn’t do it the way He wanted it done. He always remains the same, unlike us.
We’re pretty fickle, you know. We have good days and bad days. Somedays the sun is shining and other days were in the gloominess of the storm. Someday’s we’re strong and sure, other days we’re victims and defeated. Someday’s we’re happy as a Lark… other days we’re grumpy and stingy.
Generally there are way too many circumstances in life that determine what kind of day we’re going to have or how we’ll react to other people. Cross me and you’re out! Look at me the wrong way, and we’re done. Disagree with me and we’re finished!
But God never acts like that. His consistency never wavers according to our failure. His love never runs dry because of our disobedience. His grace never falters because our sin was so enormous. His forgiveness never is withheld because we didn’t deserve it. We don’t deserve it – but in His mercy He freely gives it, because that is who He is!
Here’s my word of encouragement for you today: Don’t wait until Thanksgiving Day to be thankful. Today, in your own way, thank God for who He is and that He treats out of His character, not out of yours.
Father,
Help me to respond to life today knowing full well that You never change and Your mercy, grace and love are as available today as they have been every day of life. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
Rev. Dr. MM Marxhausen
Mark was Spiritual Director for VdC from 2016 to 2019. He's written many of the devotions, especially the Devote and Affirm series, found on this website.
