Thankful for So Many
Posted by: forthrightmag <forthrightmag@...>
http://www.forthright.net
Straight to the Cross
COLUMN: Thankful
Thankful for So Many
by A. A. Neale
I have so many things to be thankful for, but
THINGS are the least of my blessings. The greatest
of my blessings, after my salvation in Jesus
Christ, the loving presence of our divine Father,
and the aid of his Holy Spirit, are PEOPLE, those
beloved friends, family, neighbors, and spiritual
brothers and sisters who have circled my entire
life, as my journey winds down.
The late Bob Hope often ended his tour appearances
with the now-famous phrase, "Thanks for the
memories." Yessiree, but those people are more
than memories, for I hold a part of every kind
person who has touched my life, not only as a
memory, but as a trait, a trace, a remainder of
each one who has left me with some precious gift.
The older we get, the more memories are precious
to us, but more than memories are those people who
are still around to bless and to receive a
blessing.
Some folk, and you may be one of them, have not
had the privilege of many friends and loving
family members. They (and you) can and should find
plenty of reason to be thankful for the church of
our Lord, where they can discover a richness of
personal relationships. A father, a mother, a
sister, a brother, maybe even a wife or husband,
awaits us in the great Shepherd's fold.
As the apostle Paul said, "I thank my God upon
every remembrance of you, always in every prayer
of mine making request for you all with joy, for
your fellowship in the gospel from the first day
until now" (Phil. 1:3-5, NKJV).
The joy of fellowship is something to be cherished
and passed on, says John (1 John 1:3). It is to be
extended and defended, protected and not
neglected.
That makes my family, friends, brothers, and
sisters in Christ, both past and present, more
than memories. They're blessings!
I'm thankful for that. And I'm thankful for you.
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