This is how God showed His love among us. He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love; not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear Friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Thanksgiving Day invites us to pause, to gather for reflection and unified expression of gratitude for blessings we receive. While the holiday has increasingly adopted secular traditions, some individuals continue to honor its religious origins. Whatever our present condition is, we should not be too comfortable to forget God’s blessings in all times.
And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
At the heart of Psalm 8 is an enduring question: “What are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” (v.4) Specifically, what is humankind, or what is a single human person, in the grand scheme of God’s vast and magnificent creation? What value, significance, purpose, or merit do we have, such that God chooses to be “mindful” of us?
No one is ever outside of God’s grace. Yet, there are times when we may not be fully aware of this incredible gift. It is only through God’s grace that our hearts are awakened to its presence, and in our acceptance of this gift, we can respond with sincerity: “Good morning, I am your God.” In this moment, the voice is our own, affirming our belonging to God. What a blessing it is to be a child of God and to know it! This sacred worthiness is truly grace upon grace. It cannot be bought, earned, or won through our own efforts. Instead, this worthiness is freely offered to us by the God of Mercy. This is the essence of our identity as children of God.
