A man had grown tired of his small ranch and decided to sell it. He met with a real estate agent, who said she would write an ad describing the house and the land.
The agent took it over to the owner when the ad was ready. She read it to him.
After hearing it, the owner said, “Read it to me again.”
She did.
The owner pulled at his lip in silence for a moment, then he said, “I don’t think I’m going sell after all.” When the agent asked why, the owner replied, “I have been looking for a ranch like that all my life, and I did not know I already owned it!
We’ll have that same reaction after reviewing what we have to be thankful for. Tomorrow, on your own or with your family, read Psalm 65 and join the poet-king in giving thanks for three things.
First: Thank God he has met our guilt with his forgiveness. David wrote, “When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions” (verses 1-4).
Second: Thank God he has met our crisis times with his power. The king said about his King, “You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior” (verses 5-8).
Third: Thank God he has met our daily needs with his generosity. Verses 9-13 are some of the most beautiful words of Scripture. It’s a harvest song:
You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
When you give thanks for these three things, you’ll be reminded again of what you already have in your relationship with God. We talked about this in last Sunday’s sermon, which you can review here. Happy thanks …. giving!
Tom
Sign up here to receive Tom Goodman’s weekly devotional in your email inbox. Tom serves as pastor at Hillcrest Church in Austin, Texas. His sermons are available on YouTube and the HillcrestToGo Podcast and you can find him on Facebook and Twitter.