Thanksgiving is a time to remember that God is the author of all blessings.

I know from experience that even the smallest little happening in a day can be the result of a holy God watching out after me and meeting my needs at the time. He works out the biggest events and the smallest details of our lives. Some days when difficult situations arise in my life and it is hard to trust, I look at the examples of the Bible characters and realize God has been working through the centuries. They were thankful for God’s help.

• Abraham and Sarah were thankful that God blessed them with a child when they were old.

• Noah was thankful that God saved his family from the devastating flood.

• Jacob was thankful when years later he got to see his lost son Joseph, and Joseph was thankful that he could take in all his brothers and their families during the famine in Egypt.

• Rahab was thankful that the Israelite spies made a way for her to escape Jericho.

• Hannah was thankful that God after many years gave her a son.

• Gideon was thankful that God used his little army of a mere 300 to defeat the Midianites, who was going to attack the Israelites.

• David was thankful that God forgave him of his grave sin.

• Daniel was thankful that God brought him out unharmed from the lions’ den.

• Jonah was thankful that even though he did not want to initially follow God, God rescued him from the whale and Jonah went on to do the work of God.

• Mary was thankful that she was chosen to be the mother of  the son of God. 

• Joseph was thankful that God gave him the dream to warn of the horrible Herod so he could take Mary and baby Jesus to  safety in Egypt.

• The disciples were really thankful that when the storm came up and they were so afraid, Jesus was in the boat with them and calmed the strong winds and the raging waves. 

• Dorcas was a woman who did good things for everyone in her town and when she died, the people were so thankful when Jesus raised her back to life. 

• Zacchaeus was thankful that the sycamore tree was near by so he could perch in its branches and see the Lord and even talk to Him!

• Mary Magdalene was thankful that Jesus saved her and delivered her from a life of sin.

• The woman at the well was thankful that Jesus even stopped to talk to her and tell her about the living water.

• Paul and all the crew on the ship were thankful that when he was prisoner traveling on a boat to Rome to stand trial, the entire boat was destroyed in the terrible weather but Paul and not another on the boat lost their lives. Paul told the crew and guards it was God who saved them.

• Eunice and Lois were thankful that they knew the Lord and they could instill in young Timothy the knowledge of the Lord. Then Timothy when he grew to be a man was thankful to be a part of Paul's great ministry.

So being thankful is documented over and over the Bible. We do live in new times and things are much different today in our lives than from these Bible characters. Yet, God is the same. The same God who worked in Paul's life works in our lives today. That is the best thing to be thankful for.

Judy Brandon is a Clovis resident. Contact her at: cbrandon@plateautel.net