Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His steadfast love endures forever! 1 CHRONICLES 16:34 (ESV)
The end of one season and beginning of the next is always a rich time for me, so as we say goodbye to summer and welcome the mists and wonderful colours of autumn we move in to our church season of Harvest time. As Christian’s we are called to be ‘thankful in all things’ but we are especially called to offer our thanksgiving at Harvest. The old song ‘Count your blessings name them one by one’, helps us to bring to mind all the things we are thankful, for from the big things in our lives to the little mundane everyday day things; from the love of family and friends to the blessing of toilet roll!
Let’s stop and spend time simply listing those many things we are thankful for. Maybe start by going in each room of where you live and look around. Remember any stories linked to the things around you, the photographs that reminds you of people, the ornament you bought in a special place and the tv that gives you joy and company and tell God how grateful you are. Look in your kitchen cupboards and notice the origin of where things came from (before you got them in Asda), look in your utensil drawer and be thankful for the food you have cooked and eaten and the variety we enjoy and be thankful. Give thanks in your bedroom for the comfort and rest it provides and search through your wardrobe and bring to mind an occasion when you wore a specific outfit and give thanks. Especially look at things you may take for granted on your house tour and thank God, yes even for those things.
I wonder if we prioritised what we are thankful for how would our list look and how easy would it be, family are high up but in the moment you need toilet paper that may be higher so things could change in our prioritising of our blessings. Now think where does God feature in our blessings and his wonderful gift of Jesus?
HEBREWS 13:15
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise — the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.
May we all this Harvest Time look beyond the combine harvester into all the blessings in our lives and give God thanks, coming to worship and to praise his name with a fully consuming attitude of gratitude.
Your friend and servant
Alan
