Remembrance Equals Thanksgiving

Daily Devotions with Pastor Chuck

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Important Questions to Ask Yourself:

We are in the season of Thanksgiving. But where is your thanks directed?

What flows from your heart as you observe this particular national holiday?

May it be, in the busyness of today’s world, that we take time to stop and remember . . . and in doing so, give thanks!

Remembrance equals thanksgiving, does it not?

“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not so short that it cannot save; neither is His ear so dull that it cannot hear. But (and herein lies the problem . . . ) your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He does not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2 – NASB)

Separated from God by our “iniquities,” by our “sins.” They, our “sins,” they are so vile, so odorous, so destructive. Our condition speaks of the walking dead . . .

“And you (lit., being) dead in your trespasses and sins . . .” (Ephesians 2:1 – NASB)

Sometimes I think we fail to see ourselves rightly, we fail to see ourselves against the backdrop of God’s purity, His holiness. When we do see ourselves as we really are we react as the apostle Paul reacted,

“Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of death?” (Romans 7:24 – NASB)

Remembrance equals thanksgiving . . .

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him, in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus . . .” (Ephesians 2:4-6 – NASB)

Remembrance equals thanksgiving . . .

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (Romans 5:8-9 – NASB)

Remembrance equals thanksgiving . . .

“But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:4-5 – NASB)

Separated, dead, that’s where you and I were . . . . . . “But God!” Remembrance brethren equals thanksgiving!

Oh, do you remember where you were and where He has brought you? If not then read and recall . . . . and respond in thanksgiving!

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus” (I Corinthians 1:30 – NASB)

Oh yes Lord, we take in your holy Word and we do remember . . . .

“. . . that (You were) in Christ reconciling the world to (Yourself), not counting (our) trespasses against (us) . . .” (II Corinthians 5:19 – NASB)

And we respond to this reconciliation how? With thanksgiving . . . . . . and we take note of what You say to us,

“Therefore remember . . . remember that you were at that time (“that time” when you were “dead in your trespasses and sins”) separate from Christ . . . without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:11-13 – NASB)

Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Once “separated,” once “hidden from His face” . . . . “But now in Christ Jesus . . . brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Yes, remembrance does equal thanksgiving!

I strongly urge you brethren to put these texts to memory! For as these words fill your heart you will always remember and you will respond as God desires for you to respond . . . . with thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving! May it be one filled with remembrance that once you were lost but now you have been found!