When asked to write a short article about something I was “Thankful For”, I thought how do I do that? How can I write something brief about gratitude for anything in particular, when the Lord has blessed me in so many ways, all for which I am grateful? I suspect that most people would choose the most common and important thing, act, or gift, we’ve ever received…. That of Salvation. All else pales in comparison, for certain.

It’s all encompassing! Salvation is everything; without it, there is nothing that is anything. In my case, and I suspect many others, my sin nature was so great, it had to be a “Gift”, because there was nothing good in me. Nothing pure, nothing admirable, nothing good, and certainly nothing I could do in my own power to cleanse myself to stand before Jesus with my head held high, able to make eye contact with the King. Even now, with full confidence of my Salvation, I shudder to think of my standing before Him when I arrive in Heaven. It is only my knowledge of who He is and His incredible Love and Grace, that even allows me to think for a second that I will be able to survive those incredible first moments of my meeting Him.

Certainly there are many times, circumstances, gifts and blessings I could recount; the numerous times Jesus took the controls of my plane when flying in dangerous situations, weather and/or being lost, not knowing my direction or the times my gas gauge read “empty”, yet the plane continued flying safely to my destination. Yes, and I must not forget the many blessings I’ve received during my 43 years in the real estate industry as a broker and co-developer; some huge sales and commissions earned. So many things to be thankful for. But in the end, none compares to the Gift of Salvation which encompasses all and for which I am most thankful.

Joe LoMonaco