Thanksgiving and prevenience

Today is Thanksgiving, 2005. At least in the US. Our friends north of the border already celebrated their thanksgiving holiday. If anyone knows why Canada's holiday is in October, please let me know.

Across our nation, millions of families will sit down around a turkey meal and give thanks for the blessings they have enjoyed during the year. It is a good thing to be thankful for our blessings; good health, a job, a home, food to eat, and lots of other things that most of the year we seem to take for granted.

In The House Church Chronicles blog, John White is doing a series to explain the idea of "prevenience". I recommend everyone read this series. Here is an excerpt from part 1:

" The word "prevenience" (rhymes with "convenience") refers to "that which goes before or precedes." The word describes an important aspect of God's character. He is prevenient. That is, He is always at work before we come onto the scene. He is always initiating, in our lives and in the church.

"Prevenience" is most commonly used in reference to grace. Prevenient grace. "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). Before we ever thought about God, while we were still lost in our sin, He took the initiative and gave His life for us. Before we ever moved toward God, He moved toward us. He is always initiating. He is always starting things. He is prevenient. "

I suggest that we should be thankful for God's character of prevenience. Think about ways that you have seen this character in God's working in your life. Pray that He will reveal to you how He is initiating the change, the transition that we are seeing in the church in America. Ask Him how you can be used for His good purpose during the next year.

And don't forget to be thankful for the abundance of food on your table today.