It is that time of the year when we are reminded and encouraged to be thankful.  We are told to be thankful for our freedom, which we are.  We are encouraged, sometimes with a little guilt, to be thankful for our families, which we are even without the guilt.  Generally, we are told to the thankful for all we have been given, or all we have. Truthfully, the list of things to be thankful for is endless, which is probably why we feel guilty, because it is impossible to be thankful for everything given to us. 

     The author of the amazing book of Hebrews writes, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.”  Which leads me this year to be thankful for the things we do not have.  We do not have eternal lives of uncertainty.  We do not have futures without hope.  We do not have consciences constantly harassed by eternal guilt.  We do not have lives plague by the absence of peace.  We do not have any of these things because we do have membership…citizenship…adoption into the kingdom of God.