Culture,  Personal

Two Thoughts on Thanksgiving

Today is a holiday, so my post will be brief.

1. Do not miss John Piper’s short essay “Ganging Up on Gratitude.” It’s an exhortation to an atheist and a liberal Bishop who have a chip on their respective shoulders when it comes to giving thanks to God. Piper engages them evangelistically, and it reminds me why I am thankful to the Lord for the ministry of John Piper.

2. There’s a hymn that I learned in church as a youngster that I don’t often hear anymore (Thanks, Mom and Dad for taking me to church. What a heritage of grace!). Maybe some of you remember it. It’s called “Count Your Blessings.” As I was getting my heart prepared for Thanksgiving this week, the lines from the chorus came to me: “Count your blessings, name them one by one / Count your blessings, see what God hath done! / Count your blessings, name them one by one / Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.” As my family and I drive to my parents’ home in Louisiana today, we are going to count our blessings, name the one by one, and give thanks to God.

Thank You, Father, for all of your provisions, and especially for King Jesus, crucified and raised for sinners like me.

5 Comments

  • Sandy

    Among all the other blessings for which Christians can be thankful, I count as precious the power He gives us over sin. He gave us the freedom to choose, then He gave us the Spirit to empower us to do that choosing well. I don’t ever want to think where I would be without that power. I’m deeply thankful my children have chosen well. Awesome God!
    Sandy

  • Barry

    Denny,
    Good post. I love that old hymn and others just like it (remember “On Jordan’s Stormy Banks”? – ask your students how many of them know it). Today, I am giving thanks for brothers like you, and the sanctifying effect that you have on my life.

    I, too, echo your thanks for Dr. Piper. His messages from Passion ’97 changed my life.

    Barry

  • Jesica

    Hey Denny & fellow saints in Christ…
    I never expected this, but I’m having blogger withdrawl pains! 🙂
    Had surgery the day before Thanksgiving, and now the fog is beginning to lift, but I can only use my PDA….can’t sit at the desktop yet.
    Who knew I was so hooked to all of you?! 🙂 GO FIGAH! 🙂

    Just thought I’d echo gratitude for the saints that have gone before us, and for the gifts of Scriptual song they’ve left us with.

    The older our children get, the more I find I want them to learn the old standards.

    BTW …. I’ll be down for a while, so I posted a place on my blog to take in prayer requests….please, anyone, swing by and post yours as a comment on the latest entry…would love to pass this time before the throne on behalf of others!
    In Him,
    Jesica

Leave a Reply to Denny BurkCancel reply