Remembering "GRACE" Sparks The Fires of Thankful Hearts

I am well aware, the hustle is on, especially if you're hosting; and if you're traveling----whoa, the traffic is bananas- everyone's rushing to get to the same stop light!

Anyway, as we all navigate our way to a well-set table with our golden brown turkey as the centerpiece, and loads of sides to boot; we must do our best not to forget to keep our thankful (GRATEFUL) gauge high. Here's a simple helper to be being THANKFUL, remember GRACE!

That's right, GRACE- the unmerited favor of God (you couldn't possibly earn it; therefore are not entitled to it; hence you can't demand it.) It? Yup...whatever you think you deserve, therefore feel entitled to, henceforth demanding it... for example, [ True confession: I think, I deserve to leave my house and get to point B or C, without any red lights, honking, crazy drivers and folks who are just too slow...slow to turn, slow to go through the intersection...etc]. I will shamefully admit, in this pursuit, I forget Grace.

When we forget grace, we become increasingly UNGRATEFUL and experience a lackluster Thankfulness!

Actually, we become complainers, impatient, unkind, singular-focused. In the case of this holiday, we can run the risk of trampling over many people and more important things; rather than being thankful in and for each of the moments [ the interruptions, detours, mishaps,; as minute guests added to an already full house ...etc] that will lead to the big one- Thanksgiving Day.

Truth bomb, we don't deserve an uninterrupted Thanksgiving, with beautiful weather, maybe a few snowflakes or two. We don't deserve to have a flurry of the family at our table; we don't deserve the perfectly cooked turkey/ham/roast that will impress our friends and family.

We are not entitled to or have a right to demand the privileges we so often see around us; and when not attained sends us into discontentment, envy, and ingratitude. NO! NO!, what we deserve we didn't get; instead grace made a way for us through the death of Christ on a Cross. Beloved, remembering the truth about the GRACE we have received, but don't deserve, sparks our gratitude and should increase our momentum towards Thankfulness!

Being reminded that all that we have and enjoy is courtesy of a loving, kind and gracious God is good for us; because we are a people who forget. So, think of the grace of God, and let this radical truth set the pace for the next 24hrs and beyond.

God is wise and he never gets a wrong address—he gives each of us exactly what he knows we need. ~ Paul Tripp