November 9, 2026
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
What are you most thankful for this year? At one of the churches I served, we would gather for a fellowship meal on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and, as part of our time together, we would each draw a letter out of a hat and share something we were thankful for that started with that letter. So, for example, if you drew an F, you might say you’re thankful for family or friends or something like that. It was always interesting to hear what people would come up with. Sometimes the answers would be humorous; other times sweet; and still other times deeply moving.
As followers of Christ, we always have things for which we can be grateful, and, because we know that our Lord reigns always, we can be joyful in all circumstances. The words of Psalm 100 remind us, in the midst of our thankfulness for the things we have, to be thankful to the One who provides for all our needs. Just listen to how the psalmist describes who our Lord is and what our Lord has done: “the LORD is God,” “it is he who made us,” “we are his,” “we are his people,” “the Lord is good,” “his love endures forever,” “his faithfulness continues through all generations.” What an awesome God we serve!
In the end, I think thankfulness isn’t so much about being glad of the things we have. It’s being grateful to the One who made us and loves us and protects us and provides for us every good thing; the One who redeems and restores us; the One who gives us hope and a future.
My good church, I am so grateful to the Lord that He has brought us together. It is such a joy to serve as your pastor. I’m thankful for each of you and all that you do in serving the Lord, each other, and the world around us. In this month of thankfulness, I remain thankful for you!
Grace and peace,
Brandon