The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1945-11-30
Give Thanks

A FAMILY living in wooded Sec
N ton of a northwestern state
n stood outside the door of their
house looking around sorrowfully.
Prairie fires were sweeping the
country, and their house was the last
one remaining in the path Of the
flames. Everything humanity pos
sible had been done to save the home
by the few brave fire fighters, but
apparently to no avail.
'Let us give thanks to God for His
goodness" said the elder daughter
of the family. ''There are many in
stances recorded in the Bible Of
protection afforded to those who
praised God even in the midst of
trials and DANGER" she continued.
Then she briefly reviewed the story
of Joshua and his band which COM
passed the city of Jericho seven
days, singing praises to God until
"the wall fell down flat" before them
(see Joshua g..
She spoke also of Paul and Silas,
who, when cast into prison, prayed,
and sang praises unto God" at mid
night, land Immediately all the
doors were opened, and every ones
bands were loosed" (Acts 1925. 26).
Don't you understand" she said to
the other members of the family.
"When we lift our hearts in praise
to God we are acknowledging His
omnipotence and omnipresence."
The family were impressed by the
young woman's earnestness, and
they all joined in giving thanks.
They thanked God for His goodness,
for the fact that they had always
been cared for, that they had never
lacked home and could not really
lack one now, since the true home
is the consciousness of love. Above
all, they thanked Him for life, truth,
and love, for friends, for strength
and health, and for affection ex-
pressed in consideration for one an
other. Then quite suddenly came
the divinely natural answer to the
prayer of thanksgiving - heavy
downpour from a sky that shortly
before had been clear - and the
home was saved. -.
True gratitude is based on the
recognition of the facts that God is
All and that God and His ideas COM
prise the only reality. This truth
understood and demonstrated re-
flutes positively and effectively the
claim of an evil power. Gratitude
to God does not change or influence
the Maker, who is always unchange-
able good; but thanksgiving to Him
lifts human hearts to higher levels,
eliminates doubt and darkness, and
enhances receptivity to the good ale
ways at hand. Mary Baker Eddy
writes in Science and Health with
Key to the Scriptures" Up. p, God
is not moved by the breath of praise
to do more than He has already
done, nor can the infinite do less
than bestow all good, since He is
unchanging wisdom and Love-" She
continues in the next paragraph,
prayer cannot change the Science
of being, but it tends to bring US into
harmony with it," -.
1t requires deep and certain
sense of God as infinite Mind, eternal
Love, to face unhappy conditions
with a joyous heart, to thank Him
before the evidence of His power is
apparent to human view. =.
Said the Psalmist, ut is good
thing to give thanks unto the Lord,
and to sing praises unto thy name,
o most High" Psalms 92:1). Truly
it is a good thing to give thanks, to
rejoice in the power of God, and to
acknowledge Him in all our ways.
Health, harmony, freedom, and
peace are the natural results of a
grateful heart.-The Christian Science
Monitor. !