THANKSGIVING DAY REFLECTION Thursday, November 27, 2014 By Jimmy Gentry Thanksgiving Day is the quintessential American holiday. I’ll not be a windbag with all the details of how the day came to be observed. You probably already know and if, by chance you don’t, you can always Google it or “whatever” it and find out. This is the most traveled holiday period of the year in the USA – the Thanksgiving Holiday Travel Period is defined at Wednesday through Sunday. AAA Travel projects 46.3 million Americans will journey fifty miles or more from home during this time, which is an increase of a bit more than four percent over 2013. Some will travel today and while others journeyed earlier in the week, maybe yesterday, to be with family and friends. Others may have a house full of guests – family from out-of-town, friends, and/or neighbors. Some will connect with family and friends by way of Skype, FaceTime, etc. today. And for some, this is just another day – they have to work, they are alone, or they’re not good at observing holidays. The Bible – both the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and the Christian Scriptures (New Testament) – is full of exhortations like, “Give thanks unto the Lord.” In a sense it is somewhat strange that there is a day set aside for “thanksgiving.” Given it is a thoroughly biblical concept in the Judeo and Christian traditions, every day is a Thanksgiving Day. I understand the history of Thanksgiving Day and value its importance. But maybe the fourth Thursday of November is to be an annual reminder, at least for Jesus People, that every day is a day of thanksgiving; but more importantly, every day is a day of “thanks-living.” Life should be lived with gratitude. I confess Thanksgiving Day/Week has always been hard for me – at least since 1968. On Sunday, November 24, 1968 – the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day – my father died. I was twelve-years-old. I didn’t think I had much for which to be thankful on Thanksgiving Day that year; but over the years I’ve been proven wrong. In reflection I did have much for which to be thankful in 1968. As each of us goes through this day, let us consider the many reasons for which we have to be thankful – thankful to the Lord God, that is. Even in the most trying circumstances of life – like the death of your father – there is reason to be thankful. If life really is crummy for you, there is reason to express gratitude to God. You just have to look for it. And when you go looking it won’t take long to find it. There truly are more reasons to be thankful than we may appreciate. You see at the heart of the Greek word, both noun and verb, translated “thanksgiving” in New Testament is the word “grace.” God gives grace and humans respond to that gift with thanksgiving. Give thanks always every day by living a life of thanksgiving. And as you give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ, remember the grace that He has bestowed upon you and all humankind. Without that grace, thanksgiving and thanks-living are impossible. Happy Thanksgiving Day! Be thankful and live thankfully.
Posted on: Thu, 27 Nov 2014 12:14:30 +0000
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