A Season to Be Thankful

Years ago I was pastoring my first church and it was coming time to celebrate Thanksgiving. I was a spry, young 29 year old with much to consider as the holiday approached. Christi and I had just welcomed our first child into the world, we were in a new church (though, leaving the previous church had been difficult), and there was evidence all around of God’s blessing. It was not hard for us to be thankful.

Our church was shifting our Sunday evening service in order to have a family Thanksgiving meal on the Sunday before the holiday. It was not something that we had done in the most recent years, but as the new guy, I thought it might be a good family time for our small congregation. What I was about to realize is that I am not a big planner. This was a key revelation for me over the six years that we served that church. I can see the big idea and I can communicate the big idea, but I do not always think through the details that make the big picture happen.

So, here we were on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Tables were set and decorations were out. We had a group of ladies that had handled arranging the meal and getting our fellowship area ready for the occasion. As the young, new guy, I was excited to see the event taking shape. It was going to be a great time of fellowship for us as a church. Then, Sunday afternoon one of the biggest details was brought to my attention…one I had not considered.

See, Sunday afternoons are a special time in our house…nap time! I have long looked forward to Sunday afternoon naps since I was a teenager. This particular Sunday was no different. We went home from church, ate a quick lunch, gotten Brayden situated in his crib, and I had just changed into a t-shirt and shorts to lay down for a nap when Christi asks me the plan-altering, detail-overlooking question: “Are you going to speak tonight at the dinner?”

[Insert the sound of tires screeching to a halt…or the sound of a spinning record coming to a stop during a TV party]

I had not thought at all about what I would say. Not even for one minute.

All of the other details had been worked out. Not by me, but by those around me. And this detail was the one I should have considered. This detail was the one that I should have planned myself. And, here I was, just about 4 hours before we needed to be at the church with NOTHING to say.

Instead of a nap, I went to the Bible. I went to prayer. I sought God and asked what to do on this short of notice. If you ever need to know where in the Bible to turn when you want to express thanks to God, but are not sure of what to say, the Psalms are great! That is where God took me that day. He led me to a passage of Scripture that I had read before a few times in my life, but that I had never considered in terms of my own life. It is Psalm 136.

That night I shared with our people for just a few minutes out of that Psalm. I encourage you read it for yourself. You can do so by clicking here. In this Psalm, the story of God’s creation and of His redemption of Israel is recounted. Each verse carries the ending cadence of “For His lovingkindness is everlasting.” I asked our people through each phrase to consider each step of their lives as God had saved them to rejoice in this God whose lovingkindness is everlasting. I asked them to consider all of the blessings of the Lord in their lives because His lovingkindness is everlasting. And, as I sat down to eat that night, I thanked God for His Word.

Today, we are 3 weeks away from Thanksgiving. We will have family gatherings, a community Thanksgiving service, shopping sprees, and changing leaves over these next three weeks. But, it is a season for giving thanks. I want to ask you to consider the work of God in your life. Many of us can think of 1,000 reasons to offer thanks to God. Many of us can be overwhelmed with gratitude when we consider the Gospel and what it means for God to have saved us. Some of us may have a little more difficulty. Life is hard. Oftentimes, we find ourselves in a very difficult spot. Read Psalm 136. You are loved by a God whose lovingkindness knows no end.

As we approach this season of thankfulness, please do not overlook the most important detail: thanking God. You might be like me and be prone to not consider the details. We have a God who loves us. We have a God who saves us. We have a God who provides for us. Don’t wait until November 22 to tell Him “Thank you”. Live today in light of His lovingkindness and make each day a day to celebrate what He has done.

That’s right…for the Christian, everyday is a season to be thankful.