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Listen while you read: "Come Ye Thankful People Come"1 (Lyrics) |
One fall day, just before Thanksgiving, my husband and I were driving by a large organic food market. It was lunch time, and we were getting hungry.
"Look! People are sitting outside with plates of food. Maybe we could get something at the deli," I said. We walked hopefully into the store. To our amazement, we were welcomed, given a paper plate, and invited to line up, where the aproned staff were dishing out tiny samples of food. They obviously wanted people to get to know them, and to see what the store had to offer. When our plates were full, we had a delicious turkey dinner, complete with all the trimmings, organic apple juice, and even a tiny slice of pumpkin pie — and we didn't pay a thing! We looked at each other in shock. We happily enjoyed our pre-Thanksgiving dinner.
We had been looking to buy something for lunch, but it was free. This treat was unexpected, and we were caught by surprise.
Just as our meal didn't come in the way that we expected, God is well known for doing things in surprising and unexpected ways. For example, when the promised Messiah finally appeared, the Jews were caught completely off guard. They didn't expect that a baby born in a humble stable would be God's way of introducing salvation through faith alone.
One of Jesus' parables in Luke 14:16-24 illustrates God's astonishing ways. A man prepared a great banquet, but all of the people that he had invited gave his servant excuses not to come.
Luke 14:21b – His master was furious and said, "Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame." (NLT)
Wouldn't it have been a surprise to see a fancy banquet attended by the poor, crippled, blind, and lame, when you were expecting to see the rich and influential? We shouldn't be surprised by God's ways, because He often does things contrary to what we expect. God chooses the common and lowly over those who are indifferent and preoccupied with other things. He wants His house to be full.
Isaiah 55:1-3a – Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink — even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk — it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. (NLT)
This Thanksgiving, despite what it cost Him, we shouldn't be surprised, but grateful, that God has prepared His best for us. Despite the way that our Saviour Jesus came to us, we should be grateful that our salvation is free. We should be grateful that God accepts the humble and insignificant over the ones who think that they are self-sufficient. We don't deserve all His blessings, but we shouldn't be surprised at them.
Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for what You have provided for us. We are grateful, not only for the blessings of this life, but that You've invited us to Your great banquet. We look forward to eating with You! Through Jesus, our Saviour, we pray. Amen.
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Thank you.
Thanks for the encouraging words, Alice.
Beautiful words of God’s simple truth! Blessings.
Thank you, Alice, for a wonderful Thanksgiving devotion.
Another lovely devotional, Alice. Thanks very much and Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks Alice, wonderful devotional. May you and your family enjoy this Thanksgiving day.
Blessings.
Good day,
Thank you so much for your devotional. God bless and keep you and yours in His continuing love and will.
(Ca.)
You have given us a blessing that certainly compares to that surprise Thanksgiving sample you wrote about! Delighted to read the scripture that goes with it. Grateful today for the inspiration your writing brings me.
Greetings Alice,
Thank you for your very descriptive devotional today. Yes, what a great banquet we have to look forward to when we are received into our heavenly home by our loving Lord. Blessings for the enlightening writings you do and may you and your husband greatly enjoy this Thanksgiving Day.
Hi Alice! I just read your devotion for today. I wanted to say Thank-you on this Thanksgiving weekend, for all the writing you’ve done over the years for PresbyCan.ca. I really enjoy and learn from your devotions.
They lift me up and reassure me of God’s love and presence in my life.
Whenever I come across a particularly good devotion on the website that speaks to me, I am not surprised to see your name at the bottom as the author. Thank-you so much for spending your time writing devotions.