“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8-9

This Thanksgiving, I am keenly aware that our God works and moves at levels and times that I cannot even begin to comprehend.  The fact that He was and is and is to come blows my mind!  He moves in the realms of yesterday and tomorrow.  Paul wrote, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” [Colossians 1:17]

That is incredible!

Thanksgiving provides an occasion to recognize and thank our God who functions like that.  He works and moves in ways that position people and circumstances to accomplish His purposes and bring Himself glory.

God is always working beyond our knowledge and understanding.

Just consider the circumstances surrounding the pilgrims on that first Thanksgiving Day.  Although there is some debate about this, there is an incredibly cool story about how God used one young man’s journey to make a huge difference.  It is the story of a Native American named Tisquantum of the Patuxet tribe.  His story involves being kidnapped in 1608 and sold into slavery in Spain.  However, by God’s providence, he was sold to monks who not only provide instruction about language, faith and God; but they also provide him with freedom.  Eventually, Tisquantum is able to travel back to his home after ten years only to find his people are all gone.  A terrible sickness killed them all.

Tisquantum was the only one left from his tribe, but the story does not end in the despair.  Ultimately, Tisquantum, more commonly known as Squanto, would befriend Englishmen, called pilgrims.  He would help them learn to live in their new land; and when the first autumn came, they held a feast to thank God and celebrate his merciful blessings.

That, my friends, is a story of a God who works and moves in extraordinary ways. More details are recorded in a book called Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving, by Eric Metaxas; and our family has taken time to read this story as part of our Thanksgiving day celebration.  The final lines of the book capture the impact of God’s higher ways:

Hallelujah! Who but the Glorious God of Heaven could so miraculously weave together the wandering lives of a lonely Patuxet brave and a struggling band of English Pilgrims in such a way that would bless the whole world for centuries to come?

Here’s the thing.  If you follow Jesus Christ, you will be led into situations this Thanksgiving where he wants to work through you.  Make the most of those opportunities.  Love well.  Forgive much.  Live with hearts filled with joy & praise.

If you have not yet given your life to Jesus, today could be the day.  God will bring opportunities before you this week where you can choose to be reconciled to Him through Jesus.  Do it!

Quit running.

Stop striving in vain.

Start a relationship with Jesus.  If you are ready to take that step, you can even do that right now by taking the following steps.

• Admit that you, like everyone else, are a sinner.
• Ask for forgiveness from God.
• Start a relationship with God by trusting in Jesus as Savior and Lord.

You can do that right now by simply talking to God in a prayer like this:

Dear Lord Jesus: I know I am a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead. I trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior. Guide my life and help me to do your will. I give all I am to all of you. In your name I pray, amen.

Happy Thanksgiving!

“To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his.”

Job 12:13