“I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.”
Psalm 86:12
Today is October 4th, 2023. Seven years ago, today, my brother passed away and entered eternity with God.
That time has gone fast since 2016, here on earth.
And I wonder what it is like for my brother now. He was only 59 years old. But God had his chosen time for my brother to leave this earth and live forever in God’s presence. This world needs more men of integrity like him. He did his work here and now he is safe forever in the arms of our LORD. We miss him at every family gathering and more, but we know he is in a better place than we are.
So as I reflect on the words from Psalm 86 verse 12, I find peace. What about you?
What will it be like to be in God’s presence forever glorifying His name? Not only that, but we will give our whole hearts and souls freely without encumbrance of earthly cares. We will glorify God’s name forever and ever.
Sometimes we get a glimpse of that on earth. On a day like today here in Ontario, Canada, the sun is shining and the temperatures are soaring. We woke up in the morning with a song in our hearts. We have pep in our steps because God is good, and we are getting a sure glimpse of that as we cast our glance upon His creation.
At our home, and from our view across our front lawn as we cast our eyes eastward, we see the sun emerging through the fog, and the sunflowers growing in sorghum grass. This field captures our attention as grass and sunflowers mingle with the sun, casting its warmth upon them for growth. And then our hearts sing! Truly sing! How can they not? God is good, the sun is warm. The fields are teeming and life is beautiful!
Naturally, our lives are not perfect, nor will they ever be on this earth. We have the choice to be grateful or a grumbler, though.
We have the choice to choose joy or to be chronically unhappy. And it is a choice. We can look for the good God gives us right in front of our noses. Or we can grumble and complain every step of the way in life, just like the Israelites did in the desert! But as we live out our choice to be grateful or a grumbler, we also make our choice to be happy or unhappy.
Naturally, there will be times in life when we feel deep sorrow, like the day we heard of my brother’s passing. It will take time before we work through the grief. That kind of sorrow is not what I am addressing here. It is a heart that is ungrateful, and genuinely miserable, though blessing abound.
So let this day, thanksgiving day, and every day of our earth given lives be an opportunity to give thanks to God with our whole hearts and beings!
We have reason to sing! We belong to the King! As believers, we have all of eternity to glorify His name forever!
What’s not to be grateful for?
Let us give thanks today!