Giving Thanks for God’s Gifts

“What’s for dinner, Honey?”

I glanced at my husband, then I took another look around the kitchen. A small amount of flour remained in the canister, and a little milk, two eggs, and a solitary onion stared at me from the fridge. To make matters worse, our wallets were empty, and the checkbook wasn’t going to help. Even our credit card was at its limit.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, Jim. There’s not much food, we’re out of money, and it’s over a week before we get paid.”

As faith missionaries on deputation, we had limited income. Although we were trying to raise our support so we could go to the mission field, we’d only reached $300 a month. We were thankful that we lived rent-free in a small pastorate in Texas in exchange for cleaning the church and mowing the grounds every week. However, the money we got each month from faithful supporters didn’t last long, not when we had to buy food for our family, gas for the car, and a few necessities like shoes and clothes for our rapidly growing eight-year-old.

Just then, Billy rushed into the kitchen. “I’m hungry. What’s for supper?”

Jim looked at our son and sighed. “Let’s pray about that. We’re almost out of food, but we can talk to God and ask Him to provide for us.”

The three of us sat at the kitchen table, bowed our heads, and asked the Lord to provide for us.

A little while later, the phone rang. I answered and chatted briefly with my friend. Then she asked me, “Does your family like sweet potatoes?”

I smiled. “We sure do.”

“That’s great. I bought a bushel of sweet potatoes at the farmer’s market, but my family won’t eat them. Do you want them?”

“We’d love to have them! Your phone call is an answer to our prayers.”

I explained our situation, and twenty minutes later she and her husband were parked in the church driveway. Her husband handed a huge box of sweet potatoes to my husband, while Billy played with their son. We visited with their family, and we praised God for His faithfulness.

After they left, Jim, Billy, and I planned a variety of meals for the rest of the week. Baked sweet potatoes, sweet potato soup, sweet potato pancakes, sweet potato stir-fry with onion, and mashed sweet potatoes were on the menu.

The next day a bag of groceries appeared on the doorstep. The new groceries added variety to our meals, and Billy was excited to discover some of his favorite treats.

During the next few months, we struggled with our limited income and meager provisions. We didn’t have most of the things we wanted, but God provided what we really needed. As we saw His faithfulness, we learned to trust Him more.

The following year we went to Mexico to serve as faith missionaries. We still had a limited income, but we trusted God, and He answered our prayers and provided for us in ways we could not have imagined.

I’m thankful for God’s faithfulness to provide our physical needs, but I’m even more grateful that He provided for our greatest need, our need for a Saviour. The Bible makes it clear that people are born with a sin nature, and we each choose to sin against our creator God. Since God is Holy and Just, He must punish sin. This leads to our eternal separation from God in a horrible place of judgement.

I’m thankful God loves us so much that He made a way for us to be forgiven.  The true and living God of the Bible willingly gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to suffer and die on the cross for our sins. There was no other way for us to be forgiven. Jesus willingly suffered and gave His precious blood. He died to pay for our sins, but on the third day He conquered sin and death when He rose from the dead. Those who trust in Christ and receive Him as their Saviour can have their sins forgiven. Instead of eternal punishment, they can have everlasting life with God.

Consider these verses from the Bible:

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

If you’ve never received Jesus as your Saviour, it’s not too late. You can do that today.

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…”

If you’ve already received the Lord Jesus, He wants you to grow to know Him better. He also wants you to be a witness and tell other people who He is and what He’s done for us.

2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.”

Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

The Lord Jesus willingly suffered and died for us. Let’s live for Him!

 

All Scripture is from the KJV.