As we leave the Thanksgiving holiday and enter the Christmas season, I am reminded again of God’s faithfulness to us…and His faithfulness is demonstrated to us in making a provision for our every need. Thanksgiving reminds us of God’s faithfulness to meet our physical needs of food, clothing, and shelter; and as American Christians, we’ve been blessed abundantly!! Our closets and cupboards are full…so full, in fact, that many of us have to rent mini-storage units in order to put all our “stuff.” Now, it is easy to compare ourselves with the people next to us and determine all the things we don’t have, but in comparison to 94% of the world…we are truly blessed!
Another way that God has provided for our needs is by providing us with companionship. For me, He has done that through my family and several close “brothers.” We are social creatures, and God has provided for our needs through meaningful relationships–I am especially thankful for the perfect helpmate that He has provided for me through my wife, Jenni. She is, indeed, a precious gift from God! I am truly blessed!
As we look ahead to the Christmas season we see God’s provision for our needs of forgiveness and of restored fellowship with God and others. This was all made possible through the birth of God’s Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ: “…I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior,” Luke 2:10-11. To know Christ is the greatest of all blessings!
This holiday season reminds us of God’s mercy, His grace, and His faithfulness to provide for us. We are a blessed people! So, what should our response be to such grace, to such unmerited favor? The Apostle Paul instructs Titus with these words: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in this present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His possession, zealous for good deeds,” Titus 2:11-14. May we, by His grace, walk in a manner worthy of His unmerited favor and blessing.