Thankful Thursday: In Your Divine Company

Dear Lord; Happy Thankful Thursday Father!

On the heels of our discussion yesterday Father, I’ve spent a good bit of time pondering Your promises to us contained in Scripture, and how You always remain faithful to those assurances, even when we fail to recognize it.  And I think Lord, that much of the feeling of “disconnect” we experience in our daily lives may stem from the simple perspective that we believe our trials are ours to face, not roads on the journey You’re walking with us…

“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.” – 2 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

Through our new life in Christ Jesus, the presence of the Holy Spirit and Your continuous grace in our lives, You provide us the guidance and resources to live as You intend us to; to participate in Your divine company, and resist the forces of this world that seek to draw us from You.

Thank You Lord, for being my constant companion as I walk these roads…

Guiding my footsteps,

Catching me when I stumble,

And reminding me that throughout this journey I’m on…

I’m never alone.

As I continue to count my blessings today Father, I’m reminded that even when the road ahead seems barren and the going gets rough, signs of Your gracious love still abound.  And while I know I fail to recognize Your many gifts more often than not Lord, this past couple weeks I’ve been especially grateful for:

611. A wonderful network of people I can reach out to when I need expertise or advice.

612. Finding inexpensive options for purchasing the medications that my family needs.

613. Learning more about Your grace in my life each day.

614. That Shannon and the boys are able to spend a couple weeks visiting her mother in Florida.

615. Finding some significant cost-cutting opportunities for my business.

616. Encouragement and inspiration from other clergy and believers I interact with on the Internet.

617. That the drive Shannon and the kids took to Florida went smoothly and everyone arrived safely.

618. An engaging discussion Tuesday evening with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

619. A fun afternoon at my father’s “Jimmy Buffet Theme BBQ” spent with family and friends.

620. Dear friends who reach out to me and keep me company while my family is away.

And so many more…

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the Blessings you grace us with each and every day.  Please open our eyes and guide our hearts that we may recognize Your Glory in the world around us, and lead us to share those gifts more effectively with others.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen.

~Phather Phil