Keys to the Kingdom
By Carolyn Tucker
Love is spelled T I M E
Uncle Dennis once said that kids spell love as “TIME.” In truth, I believe all ages spell it the same way. When I was in high school, my typing teacher would instruct the students to type, “Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country” over and over. This phrase contained words that are super easy to type which facilitated in developing an efficient rhythm without errors.
Now is the time to be thankful for what we’ve got and forget what we “don’t got.” Every so often God will provide an opportunity to jolt us into counting the blessings that matter the most. While on a family vacation this summer, we pulled off the highway so a couple of us could use the facilities at a rest stop. When my six-year-old granddaughter took a step to cross the single-lane driveway in the parking lot, a speeding car came from out of nowhere. Vivienne immediately stood still, but she was visibly shaken. This near-accident happened in the blink of an eye and there was nothing any human could have done to prevent a heartbreaking outcome. We were all thankful for God’s hand of protection on Vivienne.
Our topic of conversation between the five adults on the ten-hour drive from Kentucky were varied. There were times of hilarity, but eventually the conversation turned serious. My daughter-in-law Emily asked me a question and my heartfelt response was, “Everything I need and am most thankful for are the eight people in this vehicle.” The most-treasured blessings God gives us are flesh-and-blood family and friends. When I was recently involved in an auto collision, the emergency responders kindly reminded me,
“Vehicles can be replaced; people cannot.” We can individually “give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for me” (Psalm 107:8 NIV).
The prophet Jonah prayed from the great fish’s belly, “But I will offer sacrifices to You with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For salvation comes from the Lord alone” (Jonah 2:9 NLT). Like Jonah, I want to use my voice of thanksgiving for all the things God prevented from happening and the things He has caused to happen. Anything that’s good is from God. “Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow” (James 1:17 NLT).
It’s important to remember that believers are surrounded by His blessings everywhere. We’re recipients of a neighbor’s helping hand, prayers of a church family, the love and care of family and friends, and the sunshine of a smile. A steady stream of giving thanks to the Lord should be the solid foundation of our daily lives. “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to His name” (Hebrews 13:15 NLT).
When we count our blessings, we are focusing on the goodness of God. We can joyfully give thanks to the Father for what we have. “May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father” (Colossians 1:11-12 NLT).
The Key: Now is the time for all thankful people to joyfully praise God for all His blessings.