#ThankYouJesusFriday

America has the custom of celebrating a very specific day specially to give thanks. Yes, I’m talking about Turkey Day, Thanksgiving. It’s a tradition as old as ages, and people excel in the preparations of the dinner, the ambience, the experience… People also remembers to give thanks in a very gregarious and ceremonious way (maybe because is the only time of the year they remember to give thanks for something), and it is a very family-unifying moment for all. We Dominicans use to do that on Nochebuena (Christmas Eve Dinner) and in some Americanized Thanksgiving parties on November (Yes, now we are copying the US in that).

You would ask: Now, why the heck are you talking about Thanksgiving in the middle of March?

Because I have some questions about it: is giving thanks so boring that people actually give thanks ONE DAY PER YEAR? Has God given you so little that you can sum it all up, and is enough to say it all in one day? Do people like to give thanks nowadays, anyways?

I agree to disagree. We would be foolish if we think that we don’t receive blessings from God every day. This generation is taking for granted almost everything we got, forgetting we receive those things because of grace. When we see that life itself is a gift, and everything included in life is made by Him, we have (like this song says) ten thousand reasons to thank the Lord.

The book of Ezra shows a pretty cool example of this:

¹¹ With praise and thanks, they sang this song to the Lord:

“He is so good!
    His faithful love for Israel endures forever!”

Then all the people gave a great shout, praising the Lord because the foundation of the Lord’s Temple had been laid. (Ezra 3:11 emphasis added)

They were happy because they built a foundation. Well, it wasn’t any foundation, it was the Temple of Jerusalem, but, just because they got to build something, they thanked the Lord. When David brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem, they thanked the Lord. When the Lord split the sea and destroyed the Egyptians, and the Israelites crossed over, they thanked the Lord. When the Israelites were delivered in battle, they thanked the Lord. When it was harvest time, they partied and thanked the Lord.

Looking at these small examples, we see the beauty of real thanksgiving. When we thank God, we show our dependence to him and our gratitude for his mercy over us. We love God because He loved us (1 John 4:19) and because of that love with which he loved us first, we thank Him for everything we got till today.

I have a nice list of things I’m thankful. I call it my #ThankYouJesusFriday List or #TYJF:

• I’m thankful for my tasting buds. It’s weird to be thankful about that, but can you imagine not being able to savor a good grilled cheese and tomatoes sandwich? The fun fact, there are persons who can’t taste. And that sucks. My prayers go for them.  
• I’m thankful for my flip flops! I bought them like 3 years ago, and they are strong and green and comfortable. Hope they hang on like 2 more years. That makes me pray for those who have no shoes on their feet, neither clothes on their backs; and if I can, to provide them of it. 
• I’m thankful because I went to a birthday party yesterday and I didn’t return home depressed. That makes me pray for those who can’t celebrate a birthday for any reason, and for those who are battling with depression. 
• I’m thankful for my eyes, because I’m able to read and look what I’m writing. That makes me pray for the blind so they can look to God and actually see even more than the ones who can look. 
• I’m so freaking thankful for my parents; my rocks. They are my heroes and my reason to be. That makes me pray for parents who are struggling with raising children and for the orphans. 
• I’m SUPER thankful because God delivered my middle brother from cancer. That makes me pray for those who are still receiving chemo and radio. 
• I’m thankful for my job. It’s kinda mellow, but it’s a job I guess. It makes me pray for those who are unemployed and struggling to provide for their families. 
• I’m thankful for my singleness. I’ve learned a lot of myself, and I know God is doing a great work in my heart. That makes me pray for those single dudes and girls who are struggling with tension and temptation. Also makes me pray for all of the Christian marriages for God to deliver them from sin and heartbreak. 
• I’m thankful for my health. I’m not limited to a bed. I’m not a slave of a pill. I have movement in my limbs, control over my mind (sometimes), and that makes me pray for the sick and suffering from any disease and pain…

This list was just for things I thought this morning. Imagine the things you could add to this list every day.

This is the beauty of God’s blessings. We take small things for granted so many times, that we forget their value for our lives. Each and every one of the things I pointed out, they are mercy and faithfulness. God doesn’t owe me ANYTHING but condemnation. And He gave me Jesus instead. His salvation alone would be enough to thank Him every day. But He gives more than we ask for. He gives us all the things we know as life, because He is Life. So thank Him today, for those small things you don’t usually see.

Happy Friday!

² I bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
    I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;
for your promises are backed
    by all the honor of your name. (Psalms 138:2)