I can't fit a single thing in my fridge.
A massive turkey is camped out in front of my milk cartons, and my produce drawers are full of veggies. I can't pop more eggs into their little drawer, because I already have 4 dozen packed in there. Goat cheese has taken over my condiment shelf, and I'm fairly confident that there are some leftovers slowly turning green behind packages of dates and butter.
Thanksgiving is coming!
This is my holiday. I love it.
As I was mulling over Thanksgiving, the rest that comes from gratitude, and the peace of expressing praise, I noticed that many other people were doing the same. The surprising thing is, thanksgiving is not a Christian holiday. People across the board applaud gratefulness and giving thanks.
Of course Thanksgiving was not designed to be a "Christian" holiday... but doesn't it have to be? Just by the very nature of gratefulness, doesn't Thanksgiving compel us to our knees?
Here's my argument: you can't be thankful in a spiritual vacuum. You can't just throw a random compliment of gratitude up into the air at... no one. You don't walk into a beautiful house, packed with food and good company, and then say "thank you for this party!" in an empty upstairs bathroom while ignoring the host. That would be rude. And bordering on lunacy.
Yet, that's what many of us will do this week. We'll go through the ritual of saying "I am thankful for..." But our thoughts will end there.
Healthy gratitude requires a recipient. Just as you would not attend a party and throw your thanks randomly into some closet, so in our lives we can't just shout out a "thank you" without acknowledging who it is we are thanking.
God is good.
Unbelievably good.
Which is why, although you never hear any Christian moaning about "taking away the true meaning of Thanksgiving," you probably should. This holiday was founded on thankfulness to God in the midst of a terrible war.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God... (Abraham Lincoln, Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 3rd, 1863)
I love Abraham Lincoln. We are "habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God." That's what this day is about. A forced pause to thank God.
Who are we thanking? Who is getting our praise?
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. (Abraham Lincoln, Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 3rd, 1863)
God was gracious. Even in the midst of a bloody civil war.
God is gracious still.
Gratitude must have an object, or else it is a bridge to nowhere. There is no purpose. There is no fruit. Gratitude was made to be proclaimed back at our Sovereign God. Otherwise, it is not gratitude. It's a meaningless self-help ritual to make you feel better. Will it work? Sure. To a certain extent. But not to its full depth, beauty, and constancy.
So, my prayer is that this week would be full of people shouting praises to the God of the universe. Be conscious and intent in your acknowledgement as God as the giver of all good gifts.
I pray that regardless of family, food, location, situation, trials, or blessings, that God would receive massive amounts of Thanksgiving.
Can you do that? Can I do that? Can we be intentionally, faithfully, whole-heartedly thankful? Right now. About everything?
Stop. Don't rush by this. Am I thankful? Let me break that down, if you ever:
- wake up crabby
- always thank God for the same three things (and only the same three things)
- are upset at the good gifts of others
- get angry easily
- feel the need for coffee, or sleep, or the perfect outfit, or _(fill in the blank)_ to feel satisfied
- struggle with depression
- refuse to pray or get upset when others pray
Then you might not be deeply thankful.
When I was fresh out of grad school, I went through a period of fighting intense bitterness, loneliness, and unfulfilled longings. I will forever and ever recommend Nancy Leigh Demoss' book Choosing Gratitude to all women who are struggling with these battles. Read it. Even if you think you are a thankfulness guru.
Okay, shameless plug over...
I hope you have an amazing Thanksgiving. And I pray that your thanksgiving is directed at the Author of life and the Giver of joy. May your days explode with the beauty and radiance of true gratefulness.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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