Vantage point
Thankful in the midst of loss
As our economy staggers toward an uncertain future, many in
our nation are singing the blues. Indeed, these are hard times for a lot of
people. But we all have much to be thankful for.
The act of giving thanks is part and parcel of the Christian
walk. It is not intended for one day a year; it is meant to be a way of life.
And it is more than just an expression of gratefulness. It can actually benefit
the one who offers it. It is out of a thankful heart that a joyful spirit
arises.
We are told to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this
is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV). But does
this mean we have a stern, whimsical God demanding we thank Him for bad things?
No. We have a good God who knows what is best for us and desires it. He is the
source of everything good in our lives (James 1:17).
We should thank Him for the good, as well as in the midst of
bad times. God does not expect us to enjoy our difficult seasons; but He does
want us to trust Him to bring good out of them (Romans 8:28).
On Sept. 28, the TPE family suffered the sudden loss of our
longtime art director, Matt Key. We immediately looked for the first issue in
which we could offer a tribute to him. In God’s timing, this issue, with the
theme Enduring Loss, was next on the schedule.
The loss of Matt was a huge one to a lot of people. Besides
being a cutting-edge, award-winning designer, he impacted countless people’s
lives in much deeper ways. I have never known a finer Christian.
It is never easy to endure such a loss, but believers are
blessed with the realization that the loss is only temporary. There will be a
reunion. Matt, we’ll see you later.
Our tribute to Matt continues here.
Ken Horn
E-mail your comments to tpe@ag.org.
