Thanks Living
by Chaplain Jim Robinson
This is the special season when Americans traditionally express thanksgiving to God for His provision. The Pilgrims started it when they set aside a special time to thank God for His blessings. When we read about it we may marvel that they were able to be thankful for these blessings which they experienced amid so many severe hardships.
Thinking of this reminded me of a time when I knew I should be thankful but was not at all. In the early days of His Way, the ministry centered full time around mostly High School students. My office was a small two room construction shack on loan from a company in that business. We were seeing young people come to the Lord but there wasn't any money and our basic bills were piling up.
Our family discontinued the newspaper, used only powdered milk, cut out meat, and did all we could to cut expenses but that wasn't enough. I sat there in the little office with a thousand dollars worth of bills and asked the Lord to provide. I didn't ask for more, just money to pay these bills that were due. $1,000 would bring us up to zero.
That day a man that I hardly knew came into our little office. He walked in and left a check for $500. I said "thank you" and he left. I remember thinking, "I should be thankful but I am not." Instead I felt irritated and angry.
I felt ashamed of my attitude and asked Marie, my secretary, (who worked without any wages at that time) to pray for me. She prayed earnestly that God would forgive my thanklessness and give me a grateful heart.
About 15 or 20 minutes later I saw through the window the same man driving into the parking lot. He came back to the office and said, "I was already on the freeway heading down to Los Angeles, when I got the strongest feeling that I was supposed to give you a thousand dollars instead of $500. Here is a check for an additional $500."
That significant event has been a frequent reminder to me of God's grace and utter faithfulness.
"Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come. 'Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far and grace will lead me home."
I am truly thankful to our wonderful Lord who continually blesses us with His grace!
May you experience a life of Thanks living as you dwell in Him.