Rejoicing In The Word For Ladies – Filled (Dec. 2025)
History tells us nearly half the Pilgrims perished during their first winter at Plymouth. They suffered from hunger, disease, and bitter cold. By God’s great mercy, a year later, the Pilgrims celebrated their successful harvest, giving thanks to God for His provision. Edward Winslow would write, “And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty.” Thanksgiving today is still a time to count our blessings and to praise the Source of life and substance.
I am so thankful that the God Who understands our physical weakness and temporal needs is also the answer for our spiritual hunger. We who live in this house of clay recognize how interwoven the outward man and the inward man. We hold and display the treasure of the gospel in earthen vessels, and “our bodies have a way of telling us when our souls have forgotten where to place their weight.” But God has a plan “that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.”
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” (Matt. 5:6) There are many in this world who hunger and thirst for spiritual bread. Some live like a hermit in a cave on a high mountain; some crawl on their knees to a statue of stone; some write prayers and tuck them into walls. Their great flaw is seeking their OWN righteousness. I love this verse in Matthew 5, because God’s promise is good to all who seek HIM.
“That ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.” (Eph. 3:17b-19) To be “filled” in this verse means to make replete, to cram full, to satisfy, to accomplish, to complete, to fulfill, to supply. That sounds like Thanksgiving dinner – but without the turkey coma!
In John 15, Jesus speaks to His disciples on the topic of “Abide in me, and I in you.” Through the strength of this abiding comes the promise, “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” (John 15:11) This is the same sense of satisfaction and completeness, the same abundance of supply as is spoken above.
For the obedient disciple, harvest is joy and blessing. May our hearts overflow with thanksgiving! (~V.K.S.)