{"id":3740,"date":"2016-11-20T09:00:14","date_gmt":"2016-11-20T15:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3740"},"modified":"2016-12-01T23:51:20","modified_gmt":"2016-12-02T05:51:20","slug":"choose-to-give-thanks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=3740","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Give Thanks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Another Year of Choices<\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Give<\/p>\n

When the Israelites were getting ready to go into the land God had promised them, Moses told them they would prosper. They would have food, shelter, money, livestock, and just about anything they could desire. Then he cautioned them not to say, \u201cmy power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth,\u201d but to remember \u201cthe Lord your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth\u2026\u201d (Deuteronomy 8:17, 18)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s a caution well worth heeding. Yes, we may work hard, and on the surface it looks like we earn our reward, but our effort would be in vain without God\u2019s blessing. It is God who gives us the resources to accomplish and the strength to endure.<\/p>\n

Consider this\u2026 When the scripture says, \u201cRemember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives\u2026.\u201d it is a subtle way of saying, \u201cGive Him thanks!\u201d<\/p>\n

When the Pilgrims came to a new land, they had no illusions of thinking their survival was due to their might. Without the help of the Native Americans, they would have perished. Even then, it is said that in the first year they made seven times more graves than huts. Still, when the harvest was in they gave thanks to God. They chose to focus on what they did have and be thankful for it, instead of focusing on what they didn\u2019t have.<\/p>\n

So many times we pray to God asking Him for this or that. We focus on what we don\u2019t have. Our wants and needs get blurred. As we approach another Thanksgiving Day, think about this: Saying, \u201cThank you\u201d to God for what you have could be the most meaningful prayer you could ever utter.<\/p>\n

Psalm 92:1 (KJV) \u201cIt is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Psalm<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Suggestions for practicing this choice\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n