Happy Thanksgiving!
As we celebrate Thanksgiving weekend, I pray that we will count the blessings of God and give thanks to Him from whom all blessings flow. May our heart abound in thanksgiving to our God who has lavished the riches of his grace in Christ Jesus.
This year's Thanksgiving is quite different from the ones we've had in the past. Traditionally my family has had a small group of friends over for a Thanksgiving dinner. This year we are not having anyone over. It will be a rather quiet Thanksgiving long weekend. Traditionally we've had a special Thanksgiving service followed by a chicken lunch together in the fellowship hall after the service (and the early morning preparation before the service), but not this year. The church will be rather empty and quiet. We not only have no food together (we haven't broken bread together for a long time!); we are not even gathering together for Thanksgiving service this Sunday (the service will be online only live-streaming). Besides Thanksgiving dinner or church service being out of the ordinary, I am mindful of some of you who are going through a really tough season in life due to personal struggles, family illnesses and other strains that have been putting you under a great pressure.
As I reflect on Paul's prayers in his prison epistles we have been reading this past week (Ephesians and Philippians) and will read this coming week (Colossians), I am struck by Paul's thanksgiving. Paul's circumstance is not good at all. He is imprisoned; he may even die soon. And yet his heart is filled with thanksgiving. In fact, when it comes to death, he doesn't even think a minute to say, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain...My desire is to depart [that is, to die] and be with Christ, for that is far better!" (Phil 1:21-23). In his suffering he gives thanks to God for Christ and the gospel. He gives thanks for the church and the fruit of the gospel borne in the church. The imprisonment does not deter Paul from giving thanks and praise to his God who has lavished his love and grace in Christ. He is able to be content in all circumstances and give thanks in all circumstances. May that be our confession this Thanksgiving. May we reflect all the more on Christ and the gospel of grace. May we give thanks to our God for Christ and his church that we can be part of. Pandemic or no pandemic, gathering of no gathering, feast of no feast, we will give thanks to our God whose grace abounds and whose goodness endures forever.
Happy Thanksgiving!
