A Thankful Heart

I am sitting by the big picture window in my dining room this Thanksgiving, watching the early-morning sun cast its shimmer on the newly-fallen snow. Cup of tea in hand, I'm savoring not just the aroma of my favorite brew, but also the warmth of the Presence of God. "Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance?" (Micah 7:18, NIV)

Just yesterday, I was having trouble "locating" thankfulness in my heart. Sin has a way of being a blessing-blocker, of enshrouding the good things with its deceptive half-truths. And I asked the Lord to expose the deceptions around me, so that I could walk more freely with Him. True to His Word, He did- and I am very grateful. 

This, I believe, is what real Thanksgiving is all about. Our highest praise and thanksgiving MUST go to Him, because He delivers us from that which could be a snare to us forever. All the smaller blessings we are thankful for are simply the result of a life lived IN HIM. 

So as I gaze in awe at the pastel-colored sky and the pure-white snow, I am grateful once again for Isaiah's ancient prophecy come true: "Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18, NASB). This Thanksgiving snow has been, I think to myself, a prophetic sign of God's eternal love for His people, and the true reason why we should be thankful.

I am giving thanks today for the revelation of sin which leads us to the revelation of our wonderful Savior. Because of His goodness, I am welcoming Him more fully into my heart and my home, in the hope of sharing His peace with all who enter my doors. 

Deborah Perkins is passionate about helping people connect with God. She writes about knowing God and hearing His voice at HisInscriptions.com. Follow Deborah on Twitter@DeborahSPerkins, or to read more of her blog, click here. 

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c. Deborah S. Perkins, 2014