The other day our daughter called to tell us that one of her sons told her that in this world the one person he loved more than her was me, his “kung-kung.” Well, I, then, responded in kind by saying this to our grandson, “Me, too!  I love you more than I love your mama.”  Hearing this, our other grandson right away assured his mom by saying, “But Mama, I love you and Kung-Kung the same!”  😊

On this Thanksgiving Day we would like to count our blessings and give thanks to God.  Perhaps we want to thank God for the strength that He gave us to carry on despite the many challenges we faced. Perhaps we want to thank God for a new addition to our family or for healing us.  Or perhaps we want to thank God for providing us with a job or a place to live.  I’m sure we do have a lot to thank Him, but I’d like to remind you to thank God for those closest to us—our family.  They may not be perfect, but they have been there for us.

There is another group of people that we should thank God for—our friends.  Proverbs 18:24 tells us, “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”  In the good will of God, He brings into our path friends who care for us so deeply that by virtue of their love, they are like brothers or sisters to us.  Not only do they give their precious time, but they also give their money to us.  Not only do they tell us that they will pray for us, but they also come and lend us a hand.  Good and faithful friends are truly God’s precious gifts.

When C. S. Lewis first joined Oxford as a junior professor, there was no office available. J.R.R. Tolkien, his senior at Oxford, famous for his books such as The Hobbit and The Fellowship of the Ring, invited Lewis to share his office.  Thus began a friendship that lasted long and fruitful; and under the influence of Tolkien, Lewis, an atheist, placed his faith in God.  A good and godly friend is truly a gift.    

Pastor Paul