Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. As I write, I am looking forward to having many of our family members share a Thanksgiving meal with my husband and I. We enjoyed sharing a special, Thanksgiving meal with our church family at Red Bank last Sunday afternoon. The food was so delicious that it was hard to keep from eating too much. We had several guest present to enjoy this special time with us so that made it even better.
Some of our grandchildren have let me know that they are bringing some new games that they intend to teach grandma to play while they are here for the holiday. I’m certainly looking forward to having fun with them.
Everyone seemed to be in a happy mood as they arrived at church Sunday. Brother Jerry Huff opened the service by welcoming our members and guest. The opening hymns were led by Brother Gary Lirley. Sister Eloise Hallmark led the congregational music for the worship hour. She also sang a beautiful song for special music.
Brother Les took the morning sermon from Mark 12: 14 and Luke 21: 1 along with some history of giving to the Lord from II Chronicles 24:6 and II Kings 12. The New Testament scriptures in Mark and Luke, both give the account of what true giving is all about. One day as Jesus entered Jerusalem, he, as usual, made his way to the Temple. After answering a scribe’s question of which was the first commandment. We find His answer in Mark 12: 29-30. And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, “Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, thy mind, and with all thy strength,” this is the first commandment.” Later, as Jesus sat close to the treasury where people cast their tithes and offerings, he noticed a certain poor widow as she threw in her two mites which made a farthing; about fifty cents as we count money. The scripture says that he called his disciples unto him and said to them, “Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury: For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Jesus knew that this poor widow truly loved the Lord her God, because she had given her all. He wants that same dedication from all who follow him. God gave us all his love and he wants us to give all our love and devotion to him. We may not have much money to give as others, but we should do as the old beggar did as he pondered what he could throw into the big pot that was placed in his town for giving. He had nothing of great value to offer so he crawled into the pot and gave himself. Giving to the Lord is another form of Worship. When we keep all of what He has blessed us with for ourselves, we are not only robbing God, but we are robbing ourselves of the joy of giving a portion of what we have to Him and the strength we receive from true Worship of the Lord our God.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and be ever so thankful for all of God’s blessings. Count them; you will probably have many more than you thought.
