A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

by: Carole Lynne Haines

“Tis the Season of giving thanks to God for who He is, all He’s done, all His promises yet to come. I am sitting here pondering the few who will read this message during this busy day. Some have lost things this year that make their thanks-giving a sacrifice of praise. It’s a struggle to open their hearts in simple utterance of those words, “Thank you!” I get that, I really do. A perplexing verse from Scripture can often be:
I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Psalm 34:1)

How can I have His praise continually in my mouth? I want to bless Him at all times, but how? There is no easy one-off answer. Life has changed a lot for me in the last decade or more, as I am sure it has for all of us. I have much to be thankful for, but there are also losses and griefs to process through. I have learned many things but prominent among them is the absolution of change in our lives. Every morning begins with a battle in my spirit and soul for peace, rest, trust and tranquility in Christ. I awoke this morning with that pit in my stomach again, and as I rose to greet the day I came to my quiet chair and the phrase “a sacrifice of Thanksgiving,” came into my mind.

I immediately said, “Good Morning, Jesus! I thank You for the fact that I belong, to You, that I am part of Your family. I thank You for My husband sleeping next to me. He has been on travel often the last 6 months, so having him here is always a treasure. My thoughts immediately then go to my 3 children and their spouses, what a joy they are to me. Many in their generation are choosing not to have children, but I count them my greatest creation and treasure, my Magnum Opus. I thank Him for my cats who constantly visit me and cuddle up to me. Let’s continue to explore Sacrifices of Thanksgiving.
The righteous cry, and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
¹⁸ The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
(Psalm 34:17-19)

God hears our cries; Ponder that; GOD hears US… His Word tells us He collects our tears in His bottle. Our afflictions may be many, but the Lord delivers us out of them all. Jesus promises us this.
“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We are promised we will have tribulation, but also peace. We can have tribulation and yet we overcome the world through Jesus Christ our Lord. We will have trouble, but bigger than any trouble is The Great I am. He sits enthroned upon the Circle of the Earth.
Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. (Colossians 2:6-7)

Ah, Jesus! So much to thank You for. As I open my heart, more and more praise comes flowing out as a river of joy and gratitude. Thank You, King Jesus, Thank You, Emmanuel, God with us. Thank you.