Today millions of Americans celebrate what we call Thanksgiving Day. My friend Steve Brown wrote in his recent Key Life publication that he’s a little bothered by devoting one day to this or that. “It’s as if the point is: You are a dolt and can’t pull this off all the time, but try hard for just one day.” He says this is something like Pastor Appreciation Day or Brotherhood Week. You can love your pastor for one day and then abuse him the rest of the time. (He is being humorous folks, if you do not know Steve.)
Steve Brown relates that when he is going through a season of complaining God reminds him that he is a lot bigger than he ever thought. He says that this Thanksgiving he will be thankful because he knows that Someone who loves us and who is in “large and in charge.” He relates the story of an atheist friend who was so thankful about the birth of a newborn son but had no one to thank. Steve asked him, “Who are you going to thank?” That’s when he became a Christian. Cool story.
Steve Brown concludes that some of us are going through rough stuff this Thanksgiving. Some of you are in a calm just before the storm. Others are experiencing great peace right now in your circumstances. But, he adds, “These aren’t even the issues. The issue is God. Run to him. Thanksgiving will be natural.” A big amen to thank.
A friend of mine recently received counsel from a minister who had gone through a very, very hard time. The minister urged my friend to take time at the beginning of each day to list twenty items for true thanks. My friend says this practice has done as much as anything he has ever done to transform his mind and heart.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NLT).
Happy Thanksgiving 2010.
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