Dear Redeeming Grace,

It's amazing that we're now less than a week away from Thanksgiving! Over the years I've grown to enjoy these annual rhythms. This coming week is an opportunity to reflect on God's grace and goodness to you. Perhaps the pace slows just enough for us to lift our eyes from the usual routines and consider all we have to be thankful for.

But let's not let it stop at simply reflection. To give thanks requires something of us. I like the way Tim Keller puts it:

"It's one thing to be grateful. It's another to give thanks. Gratitude is what you feel. Thanksgiving is what you do."

As you reflect this week, let me encourage you to consider what it is you feel gratitude for. And then, turn that into an opportunity to give thanks to God. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift after all (James 1:17). A simple way to do that is to pray "God, thank you for _______. And you can fill that blank with countless evidences of God's kindness, grace and mercy.

We pray the Lord will meet you this week and bring to mind the many ways his love is shown to you. 

Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!  (Psalm 106:1)