It has been said that we do not appreciate some things until we lose them. Recently we received a letter from a brother who told us of his joy in regaining his sense of smell. It is common to take for granted the fact that we can smell the flowers see the falling leaves, hear the patter of the rain and feel the chill of the fall breeze. It is only when our eyes begin to dim and our ears cease to hear the chirping of the birds that we come to fully appreciate our God given senses which we had taken so much for granted.

It is this way with our spiritual gifts as well. We remember years ago when a young girl attended a Bible School and was aghast at the matter of fact way the young people took for granted the beauties of the Truth and the glorious hope of salvation that God has offered us. She had only just learned these things and their brilliance dazzled her eyes while the others seemed very nonchalant about this wonderful hope. Our teacher from England that year explained to her that those who have just come into the light are blinded more by its brightness than those who have become accustomed to it over a period of time.

While we recognize that this is true, we should each try to thank God every day for those things others accept as a matter of course. This thankful type of attitude toward life will keep us humble and happy. So many people are not happy because they fail to count the blessings that they have. Every morning when we get out of bed we should thank God that He has given us the health and strength to get up, for there are millions who are confined to bed. Certainly when we eat we should thank God that He has provided the food to nourish us. We are now painfully aware of millions who are dying because they do not have anything to eat. Do we complain because our hamburger is not steak or that our diet will not allow us to eat cake? There is a story about a man who complained because he had no shoes until he saw a man who had no feet. From God’s viewpoint do we appear like a bunch of squabbling, complaining children who are ungrateful for all that has been provided for us? It is a very useful exercise to sit down with pen and paper and make a list of all things that we can thank God for. The next time we pray let us thank Him for all He has done for us instead of asking Him for all the things we think we want.

David as an old man made a remarkable statement. The thoughts he has expressed should be remembered by us. He said ”I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.” There is tremendous comfort in this. It all depends on if we are His seed and we remember Paul telling us in Galatians how we do this. The fact is that if we belong to God then He will provide. He does not always provide what we want but He will always provide what we need. We know as parents that if we love our children we will not give them everything they ask for. The wise man Solomon who incidentally was very rich, taught us that we should pray saying, ”Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”

Thanksgiving is something we should celebrate everyday of our lives for we have so much to be thankful for. Let us thank our loving heavenly Father for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. Let us not take for granted the smallest of His gifts. We know He cares about the little things of little people for Jesus tells us that even the hairs of our head are all numbered. Knowing this let us take courage and be thankful that ”the angel of the Lord is on guard round those who fear him, and rescues them. Taste, then, and see that the Lord is good. Happy the man who finds refuge in Him!”