The Power of Thankfulness: Behold, I Am the Lord!

by Marilynn Chadwick

One day I was outside on my deck enjoying the quiet when suddenly, two fighter jets flew overhead at a very low altitude. Their roar was deafening. Everything around me shook violently. Now I surmised the two massive military jets were part of the game opener at a nearby football stadium, so I wasn’t overly alarmed. Even so, I was overwhelmed by their sound and speed. By their sheer power!

Suddenly, tears welled up in my eyes and I got a lump in my throat. Now, I admit to having a soft spot for our military, but this went far deeper. It was as if God himself whispered to me, “You need not fear anything, for I AM far stronger than these mighty, fighter jets."

This verse suddenly came to mind: “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27 NKJV).

The word behold means "to see or to gaze upon.” It dawned on me that beholding is connected to thankfulness. If I want to develop a thankful heart, I need to spend time “beholding” God. Simply put, I need to "gaze upon Him." 

Those fighter jets were so close I could easily behold their power. In much the same way, the closer I get to God, the better I can behold his awesomeness. 

Friend, are you awestruck by God? By His Word? As my prayer partner often reminds me, we should “glance at our problems, but gaze on God’s promises.” 

We need to draw near to God each day. Reflect on the many promises in his Word. When we truly behold his glory, we will find that fear, discouragement, and hopelessness flee. Then our hearts will swell with thankfulness to our glorious Lord!

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We are excited to share some of our favorite Moments of Hope from the past as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. If you enjoyed this rebroadcast, please forward this email or share this link with a friend so they can sign up to receive A Moment of Hope every day.

The Power of Thankfulness: Antidote to Entitlement

by Marilynn Chadwick

It’s hard to be thankful for something you think you deserve. The world is full of people who believe their parents, their schools, or society owe them something. 

Such was not the case with my friend Becky. She was born with a birth defect that left her just under 4 feet tall. But I forgot about her disability the minute I met her. Becky’s face was beautiful—but it was her regal grace, her cheerfulness, and her thankful spirit that I most remember. I have only a dim recollection of her hunched back and deformed legs. 

Becky’s inner strength and trust in the Lord left me wanting to know her secret. I was in my early twenties and a young bride when we first met. Becky was married and well into her forties. She had a thorough knowledge of Scripture and was one of the best Bible teachers I have ever known.

As I got to know her better, I learned that Becky’s joyful spirit was at least partially due to how her wise parents had raised their disabled daughter. “If my mother and father noticed I didn’t seem grateful, or if my attitude became selfish, they’d tell me that I must have too many blessings,” she said with a chuckle. “So they’d cut back on gifts and privileges for a while until I showed a little more gratitude for what I had.” 

Becky’s words have remained with me all these years later—I can almost hear her gently warning me not to take the blessings of this life for granted. I sometimes wonder if God is anything like Becky’s wise and loving parents who refused to encourage self-pity in their disabled daughter? 

Let’s remind ourselves of this powerful encouragement to remain thankful, straight from God’s Word. No matter what difficult trials we may be going through, giving thanks honors God and puts us more in touch with His presence. 

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).   

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We are excited to share some of our favorite Moments of Hope from the past as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. If you enjoyed this rebroadcast, please forward this email or share this link with a friend so they can sign up to receive A Moment of Hope every day.

The Power of Thankfulness: Lo and Behold!

by Marilynn Chadwick

By prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6b NIV).

How often do you approach your prayer time with a thankful heart? If I’m honest with myself, I often lead with my list of needs without taking time to reflect on the many prayers God has already answered. Paul reminds us that our “prayers and petitions” go hand in hand with a thankful heart. Life without gratitude is barren and thirsty.

One way to have a thankful heart is to lower my expectations. This may sound like I’m dialing down my hopes and dreams—but I’m not. I’m simply trying to focus first on God’s breathtaking blessings. I want to approach God with a sense of humility rather than entitlement.

One Christian author said it well: “You’re never thankful for that which you think you deserve.” If I think God owes me something, I’ll live in a constant state of discontentment.

There’s a quaint old saying that was often used to express joyful surprise. You may remember it. “Lo and behold!” A person might say, “Lo and behold! There’s my cousin Sarah. I haven’t seen her in years!”

A woman once shared with me how her grandmother helped her understand the meaning of “Lo and behold.” I want to share it with you. She said, “Grandma told me that ‘Lo and behold’ means your expectations are ‘low’ that what you pray for will actually come true. Then, ‘Behold!’ it actually happens! All you can do is thank God!”

I like her grandma’s folksy wisdom. So, I’ll continue to dream big and trust God with my fervent prayers and heart’s desires. But I will try to keep my expectations “low.” And I’ll look forward to “beholding” what God will do.

The Bible teaches He’s a God of wonder and majesty. He is also full of surprises. Beholding his goodness never fails to fill my heart with thankfulness.

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We are excited to share some of our favorite Moments of Hope from the past as we approach the Thanksgiving holiday. If you enjoyed this rebroadcast, please forward this email or share this link with a friend so they can sign up to receive A Moment of Hope every day.