“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and [Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools” Romans 1:20-22 (NKJV)

Remember when you first learned that God is real?

There was a time when each of us truly knew there was one God…just came naturally, no thought required…. One of my most treasured childhood memories began one evening in Chicago. I was perhaps 11 years old. My best friend and I had the habit of going up on the big flat roof of my tall family home to talk and wonder as kids do and watch the night come on…the lights of the city followed by the countless stars emerging in the darkening sky. I so clearly remember asking, “How do you suppose they got there? They just had to be put there somehow… is this evidence of the God we hear about?”

But the simplicity of childhood innocence passes away, doesn’t it? We attended an excellent school; excellent, but a leader in teaching Progressive worldview…and our parents had fallen away from the Lord. So, over time, even though we saw the work of His creation, and knew He was there for us, we fell away too, our knowledge of God being darkened by distraction, inattention and misinformation.

Looking back now, we were so wise up there on that roof, so aware of the evidence of His existence and creation. We truly had no excuse to disbelieve; yet our surroundings drew us away from the incorruptible

glory of God that was made evident to us by the stars; we fell into a Progressive man-made imagination, and over time, the wonder was lost…and we became fools.

Let’s look at Romans 1:21 again, and consider Paul’s message. Decades have passed, and as I learn to spend time with God, to glorify Him as God, to place a high value on Him as the Creator who loves me, I realize that I must render to Him my thanks for giving His love. After all, He loved us first.

Choosing time for reflection on His Word will cause us to be thankful for all that God has given us; aware of that, we can believe and receive His Love, His gifts of the Spirit…and so much more. By being thankful, we stay full of God and avoid the downward spiral Paul referred to in Romans 1:23-32, which so explains our world today.

Thanksgiving is much more than a national holiday; being thankful is a necessity to enjoying a close relationship with God. Thanksgiving is not an option!

Piet & Mary Van de Mark

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