Happy Thanksgiving! It seems somewhat of a cliché, but we have so much to be thankful for. Safe travels. Hot food. A day of rest and family. My mind goes right away to my wife and two wonderful children… but even as I do that, I realize these are blessings… and really, my greatest thanks is for the One who has blessed me with more than I can imagine.

One example, this day: how I am thankful that I please God. Amazing. Here’s a fine quote by Martin Luther on this (from Bondage of the Will):

“Furthermore, I have the comfortable certainty that I please God, not by reason of the merit of my works, but by reason of His merciful favour promised to me; so that, if I work too little, or badly, He does not impute it to me, but with fatherly compassion pardons me and makes me better. This is the glorying of all the saints in their God.”

How grateful I am that I am spared from self-righteousness and given the righteousness of a perfect, all-sufficient Savior! Luther again:

“Whatever work [toward salvation] I had done, there would still be a nagging doubt as to whether it pleased God, or whether he required something more. The experience of all who seek righteousness by works proves that; and I learned it well enough myself over a period of many years, to my own great hurt” 

This thankfulness extends to a depth of gratitude that our God sets us apart, that he grows in us (from the grounds of his work, not ours) a desire for following in his ways and bearing fruit. For a convicting post on this, see Kevin DeYoung’s article. He notes:

I believe God would have us be much more careful with our eyes, our ears, and our mouth. It’s not pietism, legalism, or fundamentalism to take holiness seriously. It’s the way of all those who have been called to a holy calling by a holy God.

How thankful I am for a holy calling! And in the depth of that… that our Savior, Jesus Christ, has done it. And so I have God-given (thank you!) grounds for pursuing an ever-deepening knowledge of our Lord and his ways. This thought is summed up by an unknown commenter:

We must not put our trust in trying to be Holy. We cannot separate the justification of God from the sanctification of God. He came to seek and to save the lost. He is the author and finisher of our faith. He is faithful to complete the work HE started in us!

Thank you, Lord! I am so grateful for your love, your mercy, your sacrifice, your peace, your kindness, your holiness that is the grounds and motivation for mine.

And I have to confess… these two little kids you’ve given care of to my wife and I… we’re really thankful for them too.