Thanks Be To God

THURS., FEB. 9, 1989, 6:55 AM
FARM, STUDY

This title is one beautiful way of expressing the Christian faith. It is not the only way by any means, but I approve of short, relevant expressions, even as each is not all encompassing. Hear My exposition of this one, o son.

The origin of thanks is the knowledge, which is quite beyond belief, that I am the Creator and the Sustainer of all life, which is the uniqueness of this earth planet. Your body and the potential for your mind developed out of the natural union of two cells, one from your Mother and one from your Father. This was an indirect creation of God’s… a natural functioning of a process We created. But into this came the soul and spirit that is you, and even as a babe you should have offered a simple thanks for having been given a strong, healthy body and a stable, Christian home.

You grew up in what you know now was a time of economic stress in this country, but you were unaware of this, for it seemed not to affect you. You had all you needed, you responded well to your educational opportunities, and you had many kinds of fun, and got into virtually no trouble. Thanks be to God should have been a daily murmur, but you were not yet on a conscious spiritual path.

You had the opportunity of being part of the Armed Forces in the Second World War, but your duty was mostly as a student. You had the privilege both of being in uniform and being in the university. In addition you were at a time when your size and athletic ability were sufficient for you to be on teams, to compete, and to enjoy the comraderie of athletics. The award you received was evidence that you were balancing these opportunities nicely. Remember the awards title: spirit and scholarship. Thanks be to God that your spirit was showing forth, even then.

Sunday worship was a regular part of your childhood and youth, and you did not reject this as you moved into adulthood. You considered the ministry and the leading of worship as a career, once briefly, but this was not to be your life work. You can give thanks, however, for the times you now can be a worship leader, even as an elder.

Your university achievements, in the classroom and in athletics led to your first teaching job, and though your focus then was on your coaching, you had been guided to this school in order to be guided to the classroom. You had some success as a coach, and you have offered thanks for that. Yet it was not sufficient for you to continue this as a career. You began to develop the competencies as a teacher that you now exhibit comfortably as a professor.

You recall the time, when you were moving ever closer to My guidance, when you asked which way you should go. I answered, rather clearly, that you should continue as a professor, and at this place. You did offer thanks to Me then, and you should continue to do so. Your opportunities here for growth
7:41 / 7:50
and for service are many… and are ideal for you. Thanks be to God is your proper and frequent response. Whatever happens to your unit administratively or geographically during the remainder of your active career, you should continue to give thanks to Me for what you still have to enjoy.

A bit less than ten years ago this relationship with Me, the Holy Spirit, became an active, conscious one. You were surprised but not astounded as I became the source of what you wrote in this ritualistic way (you almost weren’t prepared). You now have many pages of My Teachings to you, and even as you use them minimally, you use them well. Never fret about their eventual use and worth. Thanks be to God that you have them and that they accumulate. Leave the rest to Me.