A Good and Gracious Gift: A Thanksgiving Song

           “My heart exults in the Lord,

              My horn is exalted in the Lord.

              My mouth derides my enemies,

              Because I rejoice in your salvation.

               There is none holy like the Lord;

               For there is none besides you;

              There is no rock like our God…

              He raises up the poor form the dust;

               He lifts up the needy from the ash heap

              To make them sit with princes,

               To inherit a seat of honor.”       - 1 Samuel 2:1-2;8

    What are you thankful for? I am thankful for the change of seasons; a train ride to New York City along the Hudson River; and the ability to take a 20 mile bicycle ride in the warmth of an October day! But is that the real meaning of Thanksgiving? Not at all!

   On Thursday, November 23, we will celebrate our national holiday, Thanksgiving. In response, each year I find myself returning to the same challenge of trying to understand and then apply the true meaning of thanksgiving. It’s been a long time since I have heard a cogent God based description of what Thanksgiving is all about. It is a holiday that has been attacked with historical reinterpretation and political correctness, although that seems to have abated somewhat. The real challenge for us is what is the true meaning for all of us through the lens of being a Christian. I think all of us understand that there is some deeper meaning other than just turkey, pie and football. Often we see scenes in movies or on TV of families each taking turns of sharing what they are thankful for. Perhaps this is your tradition as well. While heartfelt, this still misses the point of thanksgiving. This goes far beyond what we personally are thankful for such as family and friends. So what is thanksgiving? It is spiritual. As we have discussed in the past, all people are spiritual but that does not mean they understand the meaning of Thanksgiving.

  Decades ago, attending a Thanksgiving dinner in the presence of highly educated academics, there was much thanks offered to many “gods” and goddesses;” gods of the universe, gods of nature, goddess of the weather, goddess of the earth, etc., but purposely not the Christian God. This Thanksgiving we need to rediscover the true meaning and reinvent old/new narratives to really transform this confused holiday. That is where the story of Hannah intersects with our lives: for in her story we find Thanksgiving. Consider Hannah’s prayer as an example of Thanksgiving.

“My heart exults in the Lord,

              My horn is exalted in the Lord.

 My mouth derides my enemies,

              Because I rejoice in your salvation.

There is none holy like the Lord;

               For there is none besides you;

              There is no rock like our God.

              Talk no more so very proudly;

               Let no arrogance come from your mouth;

              For the Lord is a God of knowledge and by

                Him actions are weighed…

              He will guard the feet of his faithful ones…

               The Lord will judge the ends of the earth;

              He will give strength to his King and

             Exalt the horn of his anointing.”

      We need to celebrate Thanksgiving everyday for what God has done for us through His promise of redemption. What if you looked at the upcoming “holiday” through that lens of what Jesus Christ has done for you? Once enlightened, you can see that thanksgiving is an everyday occurrence because of our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Think about it this way: what and where would you be without Jesus Christ? Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday with family and your own traditions, but remember the true reason for giving thanks. What if we practiced this awareness by giving thanks for all that God has done daily. Not just through prayer, study, and reflection but in all our dealings with others? The blessings will be phenomenal!

    Open your hearts to the grace of Jesus Christ by giving thanks. Be prepared for the blessings!

Happy Thanksgiving,

Pastor Harry