Thanksgiving

I’m amazed by God. His timing is perfect; His care for us is so complete.
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During the past few months in ministry, I needed God to provide for me because on my own I could not make it. I did not have enough ability, endurance, or wisdom. On my own, I was as the Psalmist put it, “In deep water, and the floods overwhelm me” (Psalm 69:2). During my time with God one day, my attention was drawn to Ruth 3:18, “Then Naomi said to [Ruth], “Just be patient, my daughter, until we hear what happens. The man won’t rest until he has settled things today” (Ruth 3:18). In that verse I could hear the voice of God saying to me, “There is a time to act and a time to wait. After you’ve done your part, wait for God to do what only He can do in His time.” Ruth did all she could do in seeking a kinsman redeemer, Boaz did all he could do to make Ruth his wife, now the situation was in the hands of God. Once I resigned myself to the fact that I depended on God for the next step, then I recognized that He was enough.

Thanksgiving is the time of year when we deliberately look to God, noticing that He is enough. This year I have many reasons to thank God for sufficiently meeting all my needs. Most importantly, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (Romans 5:6–11).
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I couldn’t rescue myself from all the trouble I was in because of my own sin. That’s when God to things in His own hands because He was the only One who could be enough for me. My sins were forgiven and I was restored. I was made a friend of God! In Christ we have something to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.