'Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good...'

‘Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; his love endures forever’ ~Psalm 107:1.

As this time of year approaches once again, and in the light of a catastrophic tragic accident of an up and coming Cricket champion, that sent shockwaves around the world this week, many deep thoughts have been at the forefront of my mind...

 The reality that life is so fragile, so fleeting.

 Job contemplated the evaporative concept of life: ‘(Man) springs up like a flower and withers away; like a fleeting shadow, he does not endure’ (Job 14:2).

 How true it is, we ‘do not even know what will happen tomorrow. (Our) life is like the morning fog that appears for a little while and then vanishes’ ~James 4:14.

(Photo taken from: wallconvert.com)

In a split second life can be cut short ‘in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye…’ ~1 Corinthians 15:52ai Eternity is determined in a split second. No turning back, that’s it. Forever, for eternity, for all time with no end. It’s hard to take in, almost too much really; but it’s reality and it’s seldom taken seriously by many people today.

 I wonder what the young man’s last thoughts were? Thoughts that flashed through his mind in the final few seconds of his life that he was conscious? Did he know Jesus? Had he accepted or rejected Him as His Saviour? Only eternity will tell.

I pray that you, dear reader, may think on this for a moment. I pray that you may know or come to know the joy that comes with having Jesus in your heart (Habakkuk 3:18), entrusting him with your life and knowing that you have a place prepared for you in Heaven (Romans 14:3).

        What are you thankful for?

 I am thankful for my life – each and every breath, each and every heart beat, each new day that I wake to see. I’m thankful for my family, the people placed in my life, my church, and above all my Saviour and His everlasting, unconditional love!

As Job writes, ‘I know that my Redeemer lives… I myself will see him with my own eyes… How my heart yearns within me!’ ~Job 19:25a & 27a,c

I pray that you, dear readers, may be filled with all joy and peace as you choose to trust in the God of hope, so that you may overflow with hope… (Romans 15:13).

 As Jesus hung on that cross, with his arms stretched open wide – his final words were “It is finished” (John 19:30a). A guaranteed place in hell for eternity was no longer the only option – we now have the choice to choose Jesus. To choose Him whose arms stretched open wide metaphorically say to us “I love you THIS much”.
 

The truth is, He loves you more in one moment, than anyone could in a lifetime.

'The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song’ ~Psalm 28:7.
 

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You

It is you, Lord
Who came to save
The heart and soul
Of every man
It is you Lord
Who knows my weakness
Who gives me strength,
With thine own hand.

Lead Me on Lord
From temptation
Purify me
From within
Fill my heart with
You holy spirit
Take away all my sin

Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You.


~Leah