Thankful for What?
There seems to be a sudden rush of time during this season. Everyone's counting the shopping days left until Christmas. They're running from one project to the next as the Pumpkin Spice latte splashes from their hand. It's easy to get caught up in the rush. For whatever reason I long to slow down during this season & breathe deeper. I greet the month with expectation & hopes of focusing my heart. I love the colors, the smell of the crisp air, the feel of my boys snuggled close while we listen to the rain. I want to be still. I think we all do. We just don't know how to slow down and drink it in.
We have a tradition, like many families, of writing down the things we are thankful for. Social media fills up with words of thanksgiving and Instagram shares pictures of beautifully crafted trees awaiting leaves of thanksgiving. My hat's off to you, I will be honest, I do not have a fancy display. It's a plain old jar that slowly fills with halved 3x5 cards. What makes it beautiful are the words written on those cards. Words that have grown and matured as my sons age. A small heart that was once thankful for a toy, is now grateful for the answered prayer of new friends.
This year, we added something new to our little cards. It began with our study of Exodus and the parting of the Red Sea. Particularly we noticed Moses' song of praise after God had thrown the Egyptians into the sea. Yes, Moses thanked God for His deliverance, but he also extolled the Lord for His mighty character.
For the Lord is my strength and my song, He has become my salvation; He is my God and I will praise Him, He is my father's God and I will exalt Him.
Exodus 15:2
It occurred to me that in my effort to be grateful I have missed the point of practicing thankfulness. It's not to count the things that I have, rather the ambition should be to recognize and praise who God is. Moses perceived in his deliverance that God was strong, triumphant, glorious, holy, and faithful. The whole purpose of the exodus of the Hebrews was to declare who God was & make His name famous among the nations. Today is no different. Our whole purpose is to declare God's glory and make His name known.
This year we are writing down what we are thankful for and then describing the attribute of God revealed in His provision. It is an exercise that takes time & thought. But it is worth the effort of truly knowing the God that loves us. It transforms our thankfulness from a "what" into a "for Whom".
Slow down, drink in the beauty of the season and look for the person of Jesus in your blessings. So That God gets the glory.
