Ramblings from Retirement: Give Thanks

Ramblings from Retirement: Give Thanks!
By Lee Hemen (Retired Pastor)
November 21, 2020

Thanksgiving is coming and it is one of my favorite holidays. The reasons for me are many because I not only love the food and family time but I enjoy what Thanksgiving represents. It is truly an American holiday where we are encouraged to pause and give thanks to God for the blessings He has given us.

We discover that the early Pilgrims encouraged this with not just a one day celebration but with their entire lives as well. And far from being the black and white dressed grim faced people many think they were the Pilgrims were actually very joyous and colorful people. They came to these shores not to inflict slavery, as some would erroneously have you swallow, but they came here for religious and personal freedom.

We discover that within a very short period of time that their communal form of governance caused huge problems with their colony and they decided to give each person the freedom to produce and sell what they produced. It turned the success of the colony around within a very short period of time from starvation to an abundance of food and the celebration of giving thanks to God for His wisdom in guiding them as a colony.

The Hebrew people were encouraged to give thanks to God for all things to remind them of just how God blessed them as a people. The Psalmist would sing: “Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise? Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right. Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them, that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise. (Psalms 106:1-5 NIV)”

These are wise words and should remind us as a Nation that we only exist because of the grace of God. It is because of God’s blessings that as a Nation we should “maintain justice” and “do what is right” and then he refers to the fact that the individual remember the “prosperity” of being one of God’s chosen and that he shared “in the joy of your nation”! This is true for all Americans.

Contrary to what many liberal theologians or historians would want you to believe, this Nation was indeed founded on the ideals of individual freedom and the notion that our rights come from God. This year especially because we have faced so many trials of COVID-19, political problems, riots, and the restrictions of our personal freedoms we need to be reminded that God’s love endures forever.

I love the words of the Apostle Paul who wrote the early church that was facing all kinds of problems and difficulties by reminding them: “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 NIV)”

Right in the middle of his encouragement Paul writes that Christians should “give thanks in all circumstances” because it was God’s will for us in Jesus! Remember that this week as you celebrate Thanksgiving.
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This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

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