Christian Foundations

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. --1 Chronicles 16:34

Most people recognize the names of Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective, and his famous sidekick, Dr. Watson. Holmes, created by author Sir Arthur Conan Coyle, was the most famous literary character of the 19^th and 20^th centuries and made his first published appearance in 1887.

Holmes was known for his keen prowess and intense observation skills. At one point in The Adventure of the Naval Treaty, Holmes is studying a rose. Watson narrates as follows:

“He walked past the couch to an open window and held up the drooping stalk of a moss rose, looking down at the dainty blend of crimson and green. It was a new phase of his character to me, for I had never before seen him show an interest in natural objects. 

“There is nothing in which deduction is so necessary as in religion. …Our highest assurance of the goodness of Providence seems to me to rest in the flowers. All other things, our powers, our desires, our food, are really necessary for our existence in the first instance.  

“But this rose is an extra. Its smell and its color are an embellishment of life, not a condition of it. It is only goodness which gives extras, and so I say again that we have much to hope from the flowers.”

What other “extras” should you be observing and thanking God for this year? How has God been good to you in the last few days or weeks? And what have you done to thank Him for His goodness and faithfulness demonstrated in your life?

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Today, take some time to thank Him for the “extra” blessings in your life—whether it be health, family, friendships, or something else.