Giving Thanks Even When I Can't See

Thanksgiving, like prayer, is rooted in God's power and sovereignty.  The last eleven verses of Psalm 107, one of the great hymns of thanks in the Old Testament, makes plain that God is in control.  He does what He wants, when He wants, how He wants to do it, and to whom He wants.  Those of us who try to put to use our mother's admonition to say, "Please," and, "Thank you,"  sometimes find ourselves expressing gratitude in situations where it really makes no sense.  The person on the "help-line" was really no help, but I say, "Thanks." anyhow.  There is no such dissonance, though, when I offer thanks to my Heavenly Father.  

Picking up on the words of James, the writer of the Doxology proclaims, "Praise God from Whom all blessings flow."

When I offer thanks to God, I am not only interacting withHis all-power; I need to be aware of the fact that He is all-knowing.  That takes my thanksgiving to an entirely new level.  It is relatively easy to give thanks like the child with one eye open praying at the Thanksgiving table.  The prayer is a survey of all that is seen.  It is good to give thanks for what we see to be good, but if God is great and God is good, then even when I can't see the good in my situation I ought to offer thanks.  That is the message of Psalm 107.  For those who have turned to the Lord, even the bad times are fodder for thanks to my Lord.  He uses the hard things to compel me to seek Him.

Give thanks, certainly for what you see--it is a gift from God's bounty--but beyond that for what you don't see.  Give thanks based on your faith in Him.

It's STTA.

Read the Instructions. They Work.

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT

It's one of those times when we follow the instructions and have the great surprise of, "What-a-ya-know, it works!"    I just watched a report on an innovative probation program that the state of Hawaii is using.  "Hope Probation " was developed by Judge Steven Alm.  One of the chief differences between Hope and other probation programs is the immediacy of the consequences for violations of probation.  Typically those on probation are able "to get by with" a series of deviations from their probation requirements before their negative behavior overcomes the inertia of the system, or wears out the patience of the judge and/or probation officers.  Then they are thrown in jail for a significant length of time.  Under Alm's program violators may only be jailed for a couple of days, but the goal is to make sure it happens after--soon after--the first deviation.   Three millennia ago Solomon said,   "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil."  (Ecclesiastes 8:11)     Apparently the experiment, though it has its critics, is working.  For at least some participants in the program, the timely administration of appropriate consequences has led to an increase in accountability and personal responsibility.     I suggest that we study the manual some more.  The Creator of humans, knows how we operate.   It's STTA.   The News Hour article I watched can be seen here.

Counting Thanks:

All over the internet I find people doing a thanks a day.  I find it very encouraging to read these words of gratitude.  Reading one, recently, I was surprised to see my name in the list of that for which the writer is grateful.  One virtue of the exercise is it forces us to get past the "easy" thanks that we all too flippantly offer.  For God's people thanks needs to be offered in a way consistent with the idea that the "best things aren't things at all."  There is plenty of work to be done in the area of gratitude for food, clothing, shelter, and toys--too many of us routinely take these things for granted--but robust thanksgiving needs to go beyond the seen to matters of the heart.  A friend, for instance says, "I am thankful for the quality of friends that I have. Friends who pray for me, who encourage me, who make me laugh, who hold me when I need to cry. . . ."  A couple of people offer thanks for the neighborhoods where they live.  Another offers thanks for the beauty of creation.  Sundaywe will focus on giving thanks for God's unspeakable, indescribable gift, Jesus Christ.   

My hope is that this Thanksgiving we'll get beyond the thanks of the little kid who prayed with his eyes open--not a bad idea in itself--offering thanks for everything he saw on the table.  Let's offer thanks for what we see with the eyes of faith.  Let's put some buckle shoes and a cockel hat on Habakkuk and invite him to Thanksgiving dinner.  I'm asking him to start my meal with the words he used to finish his book.

 

'Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, 

yet I will rejoice in the Lord! 

 I will be joyful in the God of my salvation! 

The Sovereign Lord is my strength! 

He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights."

AMEN

 

I invite you to join us Sunday, 11/17, as we give thanks for God's "indescribable gift."  Our service will include communion, eucharist, which comes from the word "thanks."

 

 

 

It's STTA.

Working on Gratitude

SOMETHING  TO THINK ABOUT   I'm working on being more thankful.  You would think by now that I'd have it down, but it seems that there are more barriers between me and true gratefulness than one might think. For one thing there are people who don't treat me right, or who I don't think treat me the way I think I so richly deserve to be treated.  For example unhelpful people who answer "help-lines," but who offer no help at all, instead wasting vast quantities of "my" time, with which I would no doubt do great things if only. . . .  That is a rather benign, self-deprecating example.  I would imagine that with very little thought you could identify people who have hurt you deeply.  Mischaracterizations are piled high onmisunderstandings, and the whole heap is sprinkled with just plain meanness. What I've been working on is to keep those kinds of things from stopping up the line through which the pure sweet water of thanksgiving flows.  We might be able to help each other.  Right now I'm trying to apply the Apostle Paul's counsel to my relationships:   ". . . whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things."  Philippians 4:8    Lord, I know I can't just write people off because they have hurt me--that's hurtful in itself--but help me, Lord, to remember those who enrich my life with their generosity and kindness.  As my thanksgiving flows, I pray that I'll find grace to give thanks for those who who have treated me in ways I'm not thankful for. AMEN   BTW, I invite you to join us Sunday, 11/17, as we give thanks for God's "indescribable gift."   It's STTA.       On our website, covingtonbblechurch.com, you can find recordings of messages, including (as soon as it is posted) yesterday's message on thanksgiving from Psalm 100.     : There is lots of information about the one Who died so that we could have life at our webpage, covingtonbiblechurch.com.  Click on "Life's most important question."

Thankful for giblet gravy:

A couple of years ago I sent out an email:  "When you think of Thanksgiving, what picture comes to mind?"   One fellow answered, "Mom's turkey giblet gravy over mashed potatoes."  Giblet gravy is one of those foods that brings strong responses.  Some think that

all--I emphasize "ALL" the stuff that comes from the inside of a turkey ought to be thrown out.  Others are like my friend--pour it on!  

What hit me, though, when I read the old email was my friends next line.  "It only comes around once a year."  It is fine to have a special food that is only put on the table  once a year.  I suspect that most of our Thanksgiving tables will contain at least one such specialty.  My concern is, for many, not only does Thanksgiving come but once a year, but the giving of thanks is an annual formality.    I have been present at Thanksgiving tables where there was an awkward pause before the bounty started making its way round the table.  It was clear no one knew what to do.  If one distills the paralyzing angst the essence is:

 

I know I should give thanks,

but I don't really know how.

It seems hypocritical to offer thanks

on this day, when the rest of my days, pass 

without gratitude.

 

I'm glad to say my friend is a man of gratitude.  The level of thanksgiving in his life challenges and inspires me.  I feel confident he would join me in saying, "Don't wait for Thanksgiving to offer thanks.  Start now.  Then when you sit down at the table--whether it contains giblet gravy or not--you will be in practice.

 

BTW,

I invite you to join us Sunday, 11/17, as we give thanks for God's "indescribable gift."

 

It's STTA.

A Failure to Give Thanks is Far More than Impolite:

A failure to be thankful is not an indication that you are not polite.  It is clear evidence that you are not right.

 

Psalm 100 is one of those scripture passages that gives clear reason why we should be thankful.  Gratitude should abound because of who God is, what he has done, in light of how his faithfulness is constant, and considering that his lovingkindness toward his people is without limit.  

If you don't know these things about God, that is a problem.  Knowledge of the Most High is the highest form of cognition.  The Apostle Paul said his desire was to know Him, and he looked forward to the day when his knowledge of God would be much greater (Philippians 3:7-13, 1 Corinthians 13:12, also Psalm 83:18, & note inDaniel 4 the goal of bringing a proud King to a knowledge of the Most High.)  If one does not have a knowledge of God, especially in an environment like the one where most of us live, where His  witness is strong, that is a problem.  If one knows God, and yet refuses to be thankful, the problem is even worse.  (See here in Romans 1.)  

 

Thankfulness to God is the altimeter.  Ignore it too longand the ground will meet you in a very violent manner.

 

Not being thankful is not simply impolite.  It is wrong--wrong in a deadly sort of way.

 

It's STTA.