When we celebrate Thanksgiving, as Christians, we thank God for blessing us with God’s love as well as with an abundance time, relationships, food and possessions. And, yes, we know that not everyone is quite as “blessed”, as measured by our society and culture. We still have homeless people, poor people, and economically marginalized people among us.
Jesus did say that “the poor will always be with you.” By that Jesus was sharing with us is that we have opportunities to share God’s blessings with others. We can break bread with our neighbors and share celebrations and burdens. We can do so with gratitude at Thanksgiving and throughout the year.
We are grateful that God has shared with us abundantly. At Thanksgiving the words of the Psalmist are well remembered: Enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and God’s courts with praise; give thanks to the Lord and praise God’s name. For the Lord is good and God’s love endures forever; God’s faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100: 4-5. I cannot speak for you, but I hope these words bring hope and direction to our lives.
I need not remind you that we are living in an anxiety filled time. In a time like this it is important to be reminded that God’s faithfulness continues…even at those moments we tend not to see it. It is important to be reminded that we can remain full of hope. We experience the grace of God and we have the faith that God’s love and mercy will continue for you and for me.
Believing that God is good and that God’s love endures forever, we celebrate God’s presence in our lives with thanksgiving and praise. How could we not as individuals and as a faith community?
Let us continue to thank God by our words and actions. Let us continue to give thanks and praise as we celebrate God gathering us as a faith-filled community. A community in and for Christ that will continue in thanksgiving to care for our neighbors and creation.
Christ’s Peace, Pastor Steve