Sheena/Sasha/Vanessa:

We, as children of God would like to say "Thanks for Everything"

 

The Word of God as written by David in Psalm 8 :

 

O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

Out of the mouths of babes and infants you have founded a bulwark because of your foes, to silence the enemy and the avenger.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?

Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor.

You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Sovereign, how majestic is your name in all the earth! (Psalm 8)

 

Isn't it amazing, when we think about it.

Hundreds of years ago, David wonders about the glory of the heavens.

Scientists will tell you that our universe is precisely arranged to make it possible for galaxies, stars, and planets to exist. It is the work of an intelligent--and loving--God who gives us the gift of everything there is. And that is what our Thanksgiving holiday is all about.

Sometimes, when someone has given us a lot of help, as a way to express our gratitude we say, "Thanks for everything!" But, of course, it is not true. That person has not done everything for us. But God has. He has done, and continues to do, everything for us. Everything in the universe; everything in our world; everything in our lives is done especially for each one of us.

When the Lord creates a universe, that entire vast creation is done especially for you; it is done especially for me; it is done especially for each and every person in China, India, Russia, Europe, Africa, Afghanistan, Australia, South America or even here in North America.

 

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee.

As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean.

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean?

But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

 

This God who does everything for us is the same being as our Lord Jesus, who healed the ten men who had an uncureable skin disease, called "leprosy." When the men called out to him for help, he took pity on them, and used his divine healing power to overcome their physical disease.

In the story of the ten lepers, all ten were healed. When only one came back, the Lord did not say that the others would become lepers again because they hadn't come back and given thanks! But he did say something to that one grateful man that he had not said to the others. He said, "Your faith has made you well."

That one man was healed in a way that the others were not. He was healed in his mind and spirit. He received new life in his thoughts and feelings, his beliefs and actions. He became a new person, healthy to love and understand and serve his fellow human beings. The others may have had their physical disease healed, but this man had something far greater to be thankful for. His own eternal soul had been healed . When we say "Thanks for everything" to God, we really mean it in our hearts. Like Liz in this story when we recognize and appreciate the wonderful gifts from God, then our thanksgiving celebration and the way we live  will be joyful and we will show our gratitude to the Lord for all the wonders of creation, and for all the wonders of the Lord's deeply healing love for each one of us.