Thanksgiving holidays are some of my most pleasant memories. The common memories of food, family, and fellowship come with vivid reminders of pleasant smells and lots of smiles. Thanksgiving is the topic of movies and has made its way into the national calendar as an annual holiday event. And it should, because we have so much for which to be thankful. We are a nation on whose shores and in whose streets are no warring invaders. The Covid pandemic has been brought under control. While food may be getting more expensive, there is no reason anyone should go hungry in America. Food pantries and sponsored meal events abound in our churches and from organizations founded for alleviating hunger. We are blessed beyond measure! God has shed His Grace on us!
In the passage of Scripture above we see that God intends His blessings to be shared, and not just with our own family and people, but with those outside our immediate reach. Paul was encouraging generosity from the Corinthians to those outside their borders. In doing so, the Corinthians themselves would become the answer to prayer, the blessing of God to others. The people in need would not only thank God for the blessings but would also be thankful to the Corinthians, people they did not know beyond the gifts they had given. The people that the Corinthians prayed for and gave to would themselves pray with deep affection and appreciation.
There are people around the world celebrating thanksgiving to God for their salvation. They finally heard the Gospel, because of you. They now have God’s Word in their language, because of you. They have been introduced to the God of all Grace and blessing, because of you. You are loved and appreciated, not only by the staff of Reach A Village but by hundreds of thousands of people around the world. They may not know your names, but they know your hearts of love and obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ.
May we bow our heads and hearts in gratitude for His gracious gifts that are indeed, too wonderful for words!
In Christ,
Robert Craft
Founder and President
Bob Craft is founder and president of Reach A Village. His ministry background of over four decades includes service as a pastor, missionary, and evangelical missions leader. Bob believes that the most efficient and cost-effective way to finally fulfill the Great Commission is to train local Christians, equip them with Scripture materials, and mobilize them to reach unreached villages in their country with the Gospel.
