By: Ptr. Genalyn Concepcion
Today, somewhere between Vernon and Kelowna, I wake up with a greater sense of thankfulness. It is Canadian Thanksgiving Day. My husband draws open the bedroom curtain and Lake Okanagan and the mountain greet us with nature’s own unique and special way of saying ‘good morning.’
Yesterday had been a tremendously blessed day – back to back Church Anniversary and Thanksgiving Celebrations of the PMCC (4th Watch) of Kelowna and Vernon. The day before yesterday, we dedicated the bigger house of worship of the local church of Kelowna. The brethren and my co-ministers – I am so thankful to God for all of them.
I gather my family for family devotion in the air bnb’s living room, and we sing Goodness of God, Gratitude, and Through It All in between meditative readings led by my children. I give a short exhortation focusing on acknowledging God’s gift of salvation as the springboard of all the blessings we have. We then gather in a circle and we pray for the one to our right, first thanking God for them and then lifting to God their prayer requests.
I now sit here looking at the lake and the mountain and write this article after reading today’s SPA Bible Reading, which is Luke Chapter 11. This chapter features passages many of us are familiar with, The Lord’s Prayer (Luke 11:2-4), where the Lord, after being asked by His disciples how to pray, gives them, and us, a script on how we should pray.
He started, “This is then how you should pray…” Then He directs us to first acknowledge the Father. “Father, hallowed be your name.”
On this Thanksgiving Day, this is also how we should give thanks – acknowledge the Father first and foremost. He is the source of all our blessings. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above.”
As we proceed with today’s plans – cooking, setting the table, dining with friends and family, playing games, outdoor activities, whatever you have planned for today – I remind and encourage you to first acknowledge God. Take time to reflect, list down all His blessings, name them one by one. Don’t skip this one, it will make your Thanksgiving Celebration really meaningful.
For much of Canada today, thanksgiving will be done and over without God in the mix of all engagements. It should not be so with us Fourth Watchers. We have been taught to be grateful for everything we have, and we should start by acknowledging that God is the very source of them all.
Happy Thanksgiving Day and God bless us all!
We have been taught to be grateful for everything we have, and we should start by acknowledging that God is the very source of them all.
Reflection: How has God’s salvation been the spring of all your blessings? For me, because God called me to serve Him in His church, I am in the ministry where I get to serve people and my community, I work under and alongside dedicated, loving, and supportive individuals; I met my husband with whom I have three amazing children, and my family is saved. How about you?
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