Category: Thankfulness (page 1 of 2)

It is hard to quantify influence. I often have my students write papers on how historical events have influenced other aspects of history or even affect us today, but I’ll admit that it’s hard to realize, let alone verbalize, all of the immense ways one event can affect hundreds of others. It’s the same way with people. Every day we cross paths with people—most we will never see again, but there are those few that play such a significant part in our stories. It’s kind of crazy how a stranger can become such an intricate part of your life. Honestly, it can be terrifying if you let it—to think how this random individual can influence you in ways that you didn’t even think possible.  Read more

A few weeks ago, I went on a little tweet spree on just a few reasons why I am thankful; this is a little extension of that. Every day I wake up more blessed than the day before, but the biggest blessing I have in this life is in having a friend in Jesus. He is incredible and continues to amaze me more and more each day. Seeing that it is the month of thanksgiving, I thought it appropriate to share a few more reasons why I am thankful He is my God.

I am thankful that His grace is sufficient for me.
2 Corinthians 12:9

I am thankful that His strength is made perfect in my weakness.
2 Corinthians 12:9

I am thankful His thoughts and ways are higher than mine.
Isaiah 55:8, 9

I am thankful He is my Rock, Salvation, and Defense.
Psalm 62:2

I am thankful I get to be kept safe under the shadow of His wings.
Psalm 17:8

I am thankful He is with me; He strengthens me; He helps me; and He upholds me.
Isaiah 41:10

I am thankful He is my Guide.
Psalm 48:14

I am thankful He comes to me.
Luke 19:7, 10

I am thankful He is my Father.
Luke 15

I am thankful He is the Strength of my heart.
Psalm 73:26

I am thankful He is my Portion for ever.
Psalm 73:26

I am thankful He is my Shepherd.
Psalm 23

I am thankful He restores my soul.
Psalm 23:3

I am thankful He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:3

I am thankful He is with me.
Psalm 23:4

I am thankful His rod and staff comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

I am thankful He continually guides me.
Isaiah 58:11

I am thankful He satisfies my soul.
Isaiah 58:11

I am thankful He is my Comforter.
Isaiah 51:12

I am thankful He is my Light.
Psalm 27:1

I am thankful He is good, forgiving, and merciful.
Psalm 86:5

I am thankful He is full of compassion, graciousness, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Psalm 86:15

I am thankful He became flesh and dwelt among us.
John 1:14; Galatians 4:4

I am thankful He took upon Him the form of a Servant.
Philippians 2:7

I am thankful He humbled Himself and became obedient unto the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:8

I am thankful He arose.
Mark 16:6

I am thankful He is my Intercessor.
Romans 8:34; Hebrews 4:15

I am thankful He is my High Priest.
Hebrews 9:10-14; Hebrews 4:15

I am thankful He is my mediator.
Hebrews 8:6; Hebrews 9:15; Hebrews 12:24

I am thankful He is my God for ever and ever!
Psalm 48:14

Psalm 48

1 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness.
2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
3 God is known in her palaces for a refuge.
4 For, lo, the kings were assembled, they passed by together.
5 They saw it, and so they marvelled; they were troubled, and hasted away.
6 Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.
7 Thou breakest the ships of Tarshish with an east wind.
8 As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the LORD of hosts, in the city of our God: God will establish it for ever. Selah.
9 We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.
10 According to thy name, O God, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness.
11 Let mount Zion rejoice, let the daughters of Judah be glad, because of thy judgments.
12 Walk about Zion, and go round about her: tell the towers thereof.
13 Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following.
14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

The infinity symbol has become a popular trend in today’s society. It is everywhere; the word infinity is very familiar to us. In fact, we all probably know the saying, “To infinity and beyond!” We have heard it, but have we ever stopped to think about that statement? Infinity is our English word that describes something without any limit. It is something without an end; it is endless; hence its symbol has no end. So why add the beyond?

As a kid, my brothers and I would have a contest, as I like to call it, although I am sure my mom would call it something else. The object of this contest was to see who could get to the highest number. It would usually start off like not uh, yes huh, not uh times ten, yes huh times twenty, and then lead on from there to just saying numbers. But we knew that whoever got to infinity first would win; until one day one of my brothers introduced a new twist, infinity and beyond. This basically said yes, I know that infinity has no limit, but if it does I go beyond that.

Forever is much like infinity. It has no end. I have come into a particular habit of asking people if I could be friends with them for a long time. From this question, I get a plethora of different answers, but my favorite answer that I ever gotten was this, “I love you Jocy. We will be friends forever.” She wrote it on the back of a picture of herself and gave it to me. I cannot help but smile every time I see the word forever in that sentence. Why? Because it means there will be no end to our friendship.

As I read through Psalm 48, I cannot help but stand in awe of God. This psalm gives just a small glimpse at the glory and majesty of God. But then when I get verse 14, I am just overwhelmed. This great awesome God in the previous 13 verses is my God, but not only that, He is my God forever; but if forever is not good enough, He is my God forever and ever; but wait there is more, He is my Guide even unto death. How awesome is that! I love how Matthew Henry worded it in his commentary:

If God be our God, he is ours for ever, not only through all the ages of time, but to eternity; for it is the everlasting blessedness of glorified saints that God himself will be with them and will be their God, Rev. 21:3. 2. If he be our God, he will be our guide, our faithful constant guide, to show us our way and to lead us in it; he will be so, even unto death, which will be the period of our way, and will bring us to our rest. He will lead and keep us even to the last. He will be our guide above death (so some); he will so guide us as to set us above the reach of death, so that it shall not be able to do us any real hurt. He will be our guide beyond death (so others); he will conduct us safely to a happiness on the other side death, to a life in which there shall be no more death. If we take the Lord for our God, he will conduct and convey us safely to death, through death, and beyond death— down to death and up again to glory.

If you do not walk away smiling from the fact that God is our God forever and ever, I do not know what will make you smile, because that is unbelievably awesome! God is forever and ever mine, and I am forever and ever His.