Miracles from Thanksgiving

⁴ For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving-1 Timothy 4:4


Yesterday some friends and I took supper to our friend Donna who is just home from the hospital after some pretty harsh surgery.  We stayed to visit for a while and then prayed with her.  I was really impressed by Donna's prayer of thanksgiving for *all* that had happened, including the bad stuff, because (in her words), "You will make good come from it."


It takes a lot of courage to thank God even for the bad stuff.  And it takes a lot of faith to trust that God will indeed work his good through it all.


I'm learning quite a bit from the book 1000 Gifts, by Ann Voskamp.  Miracles, it seems, spring from a truly thankful heart.  Think of it... what did Jesus do before he fed the 4,000?  He broke the bread and *gave thanks*(Matthew 14:19).  What did Jesus do before he rose Lazarus from the dead?  He *gave thanks* that God heard his prayer (John 11:41).  What did Jesus do the night before his crucifixion that lead to the greatest miracle of all?  He gave thanks by giving us the Eucharist which is derived from words that mean "thanksgiving," "joy," and "grace."


Maybe it is in those times when we can truly give thanks... even for the bad things... that we are most likely to experience miracles.  If this is the case, then Donna can indeed expect a miracle.


Father,
Help us to be truly thankful for all things, even those things that seem bad to us.  Give us the faith to know that even through the bad things, you will work your good and miracles will abound.


Joys:  My granddaughter on my lap as I write this... talk about thankful!; a surprise gift of encouragement in the mail from my sister; spending time with Donna