The UPPER ROOM Devotional 23rd November 2023: Many Thanks
Read and Study Today’s The Upper Room Daily Devotional for November 23rd, 2023 Message written by Muyiwa Benralph Olaiya (Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria). God bless you as you study today! Please share with your friends and loved ones.
TODAY’S TOPIC: MANY THANKS
Jennifer L. Luckett (Texas, USA)
TODAY’S READING
Psalm 100:1-5
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I will celebrate God’s goodness daily.
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another. – Colossians 3:12-13 (NIV)
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. The weather here in Southeast Texas is usually cool, and the respite from work and the daily routine is always appreciated. Many years ago, I decided to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family. I bought ingredients, prepped and cleaned silverware and cookware, and spent nearly an entire day making food. I managed to prepare the side dishes with careful attention to temperatures and instructions from family recipes. In the early hours of Thanksgiving Day, I dozed on the sofa while the turkey roasted. As a result, I overcooked the turkey, rendering it crispier and drier than I had intended. Yet my family was gracious and feasted upon the meal anyway.
I am grateful for the gift of my family members accepting my culinary blunders and personality quirks. The word thanksgiving is defined as “a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness.” So recipes and meals aside, I plan to spend this Thanksgiving holiday simply acknowledging God’s goodness, offering thanks for all God’s blessings, including family, good health, and the gift of time spent together. As a Christian family, we should celebrate the bounty of mercy and forgiveness available to us all through Christ.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Thank you, Father, for your gifts of mercy and salvation. Help us to follow your example to forgive and love one another daily. Amen.
PRAYER FOCUS
Families separated during holidays
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