I do not know whether this is a great or grim day for you. Either way, I invite you to ponder with me three things for which every believer can be thankful:
#1 You have breath to praise.
Not to be a downer, but the day is coming when you and I won't be able to praise because we will have taken our last breath. Psalm 115:17,18 soberly reminds us, "The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence. But as for us, we will bless the LORD from this time and forever. Praise the LORD!"
Thankfully, the option to lift your voice, lift your hands, and praise God is entirely ours for now! You have today. You have this moment. Why not give God some praise?
#2 You have clothes to wear.
Etched forever in my mind is a cluster of shabbily dressed kids outside of Kathmandu in Nepal. They were seven or eight years old, squatting in the dirt, playing with not much. Because in their neighborhood, "not much" was the only thing in plentiful supply. I snapped a photo of them as we drove by. Only upon zooming in later did I notice that one kid didn't even have a pair of pants. Sadness turns two shades darker when kids—or grown kids—can't afford clothes. That's not you, is it—no clothes to wear? I didn't think so. Which means you have a great reason to give thanks.
1 Timothy 6:8 offers this perspective: “If we have food and clothing, we should be satisfied with it.”
#3 You have Christ to come.
They say that everyone’s going through something. And those “somethings” are often not fun. But ponder this. Even if every day of every week of every month stinks—for the rest of your life—if you know Jesus, you have a massive reason for joy. Christ is coming! Titus 2:13 says we should be “Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.” Heaven is your home. God is your hope. Jesus is coming!
There you have it—three thankful thoughts. Park your mind here!
