On this Thanksgiving Day, I reflected on how God's intervention in my life brought me both healing and victory three Thanksgivings ago (November 22, 2018). So this morning, after having the urge to read about the story of Jesus healing a man of leprosy in Mark 1:40-45 (NIV), I decided to also list some of the takeaways I got from that encounter Jesus made with the sick man.
Although it's definitely not much compared to the countless reasons for giving thanks to the Lord, here are 7 things about God that I'm thankful for:
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
1. He is full of compassion.
God not only sees what I'm going through, but He truly cares about me and understands me.
2. He has a never-ending willingness to help me.
Not only does God see what I'm going through, and not only does He care, but He is always ready to reach out His hand and turn things around for me. He never grows tired of coming to my rescue when I'm in distress, when I'm vulnerable, or when I'm close to losing hope.
3. He is able.
God is not all talk and no action. When He says He'll do something, I can believe with my whole heart that He will; if He's done it before, I know that He's able to do it again every time.
4. He has my best interests at heart.
The plans God has for me are always for my good. When God's hand is at work in me, the results are always full of nothing but goodness because it was done out of His love for me.
43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
5. He makes my life a living testimony.
My whole life—my whole existence—is proof of how wonderful God is to me. I can't help but share God's greatness and almighty ways with others so that they can at least get a glimpse of who He is and what He can do.
6. He makes me want to draw closer to Him.
After reflecting on the immeasurable love God has for me and the multitude of blessings He continuously pours over my life, it all makes me want to draw closer and closer to Him. Who else can be as good to me as God is? Or who else can love me as much as God does? Because of who He is and all that He's done for me, being in His presence is what my heart desires more than anything else.
7. He is always in my corner.
It's ironic how the road isn't easy for believers of God, and yet so many people still make the decision of choosing Him above all else. What I've realized is that no matter what it is that may make the road far from easy, it's better than being on the easiest road in life if it means having God on my side every step of the way.
I like to think that we all have more than enough reasons to make every day Thanksgiving Day; I hope these 7 reasons for giving thanks to the Lord spark even more reasons in you!
