Dear Woodland Hills Family,
As you may know, I’ve been journeying recently through the book of beginnings (Genesis). With Thanksgiving upon us, I found myself wondering how often Genesis records occasions of thanksgiving.
I found 22 separate instances of worship, offering, or thanksgiving! Beyond this there are even moreallusions to worship and thanksgiving. Reading through them was instructive and I was challenged to follow this example more purposefully. I’ve included the references below* with the hopes that this Thanksgiving you’ll make time to slip away with the Lord and let Him speak to you through these stories.
In the course of this study I came across one of my favorite expressions of thanks. It comes from the life of Jacob when he was in a crisis. Actually, it was a life-or-death situation for him. He turned to the Lord for help and began his appeal, of all things, with thanksgiving!
O God…
O Lord…
I am unworthy of all the loving kindness
and of all the faithfulness
which You have shown to Your servant…
Deliver me, I pray…!
(Gen 32:10, 11)
Life for you right now may be all cranberries and pumpkin pie, or it may be nothing but gristle and bone. Jacob’s example reminds us that, either way, giving thanks is the right place to begin.
Thanking God for YOU,