By Elizabeth

Thankfulness, gratitude, appreciation, gratefulness … all words and concepts that seem to be everywhere this Thanksgiving season. And like many of you I have much to be thankful for. I don’t always remember to give thanks, however, so I am glad for the reminders. It helps put me in the right mindset and I find myself thanking God more often for the many blessings in my life. The people – my husband, my beautiful daughters, my sisters and parents, my church family and my friends. The material gifts – my home, my job, the food in my pantry, the car that I drive, my medical insurance, the clothes in my closet, my education. The less tangible things like the freedom to worship and believe, my health, a beautiful sunset or a quiet rain.

What I realized recently was that while my practice of thankfulness may have been boosted by the reminders this season provides, I had failed to ever shift my focus away from what I have been given. It is absolutely important to recognize and give thanks for our blessings. But the gap I saw in my own gratitude came in the area of adoration. I was thanking God for what he had given me and done for me, but not adoring him for who he is. And while I know this is against seasonal policy for some I was reminded of this by a Christmas song. Is that allowed before December?

So I am making a conscious effort to make adoration a part of my routine because God, being God, deserves my worship. This practice, like that of intentional gratitude for His blessings, orients me to the truth of not only who He is, but who I am. Sometimes, because the Bible invites me to call him friend, brother, Daddy even I lose sight of His AWESOMENESS. That lost perspective can distort my view of this world, His sovereignty over it and His power to do more than I can ask or imagine. AW Tozer said that what comes to our minds when we think of God is the most important thing about us. Some things about God to put in our minds …

Exodus 34:6 The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness rebellion and sin.

I Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever.

Romans 11:33 Oh the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable Hisjudgment, His paths beyond tracing out.

Psalm 57:10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Psalm 89:8 O Lord God Almighty who is like you? You are mighty, O Lord and your faithfulness surrounds you.

Isaiah 6:3 Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.

Give thanks and come let us adore HIm!