Thankful

I am thankful for Sonya. God has blessed me with a lovely and Godly future wife. Here is my short thanksgiving eve meditation that I gave at each of my churches last month. "Thanksgiving is a holiday where we gather with friends and family. We watch football and parades on t.v., and overeat. I know I usually eat too much pumpkin pie and sweet potatoes. Thanksgiving is also a time to recall what we have to be thankful for. We can be thankful for life, family and friends, food, housing and so much more.
But most of all, we can be thankful for salvation in Jesus Christ. In John 6:35 we read, “Jesus said, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”(ESV) We can be thankful that Christ died for us and rose again. Jesus nourishes our souls. In him we are forgiven and have eternal life. We can be thankful that we are Christians and no longer live in darkness. Romans 6:17 says, “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.”
Many of us feel a void, or emptiness in our lives. We try to fill it with material things, work, alcohol, food, and other substitutes. There is no peace without Jesus. Nothing or no one can take his place. I hope that everyone here has experienced God’s love in Christ. He loves you unconditionally. You will never hunger or thirst, because you have received forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus. Let us thank God for giving us the bread of life, Jesus, and giving us life this Thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7 says, “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving.” May our hearts be overflowing with gratitude as we remember all that God has done for us." What I wrote was short but an important reminder for believers to be thankful. God bless you.
In Christ,
Pastor Josh Parrish, M.Div