…still catching up…

8. I’m thankful for scriptures in our language – It would be an untruth to say that I take full advantage of this blessing, but I’m thankful for it all the same.  I can read for myself what God has said, kept secure, and honored over the centuries.  I can rely on the Holy Spirit alone, directly, to point out connections pertinent to my every situation (and He does, when I look).  There is no true concern of today’s people that isn’t addressed by principle, example, and/or directive within the scriptures.
9. I’m thankful for promises in scripture – There are some promises, like “by this time next year, you will have a son”, that are explicitly for one or a small group of people within the Bible.  Applying such promises to an individual not so named is a delicate matter that belongs between the Holy Spirit and the reader.  Other promises, like “cast your cares on Him, for He cares for you”, are for all who are willing to take God at His Word.  Watching Him keep His promises, even those explicitly targeted ones, when He whispers ‘you too’, is a priceless treasure.
10. I’m thankful for a God who keeps His promises, and reminds us that He remembers – Believers in Jesus Christ have an advantage given to no other religious people.  We have a God who is not impersonal, not fickle, not inanimate, not impotent, and not forgetful.   We can have hope for the future because we have watched His faithfulness in the past, both distant and recent.

I have been around long enough to receive and see fulfilled both general and specific promises, confirming that I have the right understanding, the right scriptures, and the right God.   This leads me to my next praise….