Thanksgiving

“In everything give thanks” (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Today is Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday set aside for the purpose of encouraging our nation’s people to give thanks to the Creator God for our bounty. We, of all the earth’s millions should be profoundly thankful. Our most destitute are well off by the worlds standards.

Those of us Americans who are Christians have even more about which to be thankful. An ugly sinful past, sinful acts that are future, and an awful end in hell, have been erased by the grace of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. For this truth, I am deeply grateful.

Each of us could quickly create a great list of things, situations, and people for which we are thankful. Paul’s declaration of long ago in the 1st century was not as it sometimes quoted. The complete statement in verse 18 says, “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you”. If your doctor has just given you the news that your tumor is cancer and you only have a few months to live, that is not something God expects you to be thankful for.

God does not want us to be thankful “for everything”, but to be thankful “in everything”, there is quite a difference. My wife is now in pain recovering from back surgery. I am not thankful that she is in pain, but I am thankful that she was afforded the opportunity to have some surgery needed to rid her of persistent pain she has suffered for years. Our moms are almost 85 and 86. Both are loosing their memories and are pretty feeble. I am not thankful about that. I am thankful that God has blessed my life with good women including these two.

For the past few days I have been a cook, housekeeper, and nurse. I am not thankful for that. I am thankful that I can care for a wonderful wife who usually waits on me hand and foot. I am thankful for that.

Grace and Peace,
Royce Ogle