It’s Thanksgiving already! I love Thanksgiving, but I can’t believe how fast time went by. So what are you doing this Thanksgiving? Making room for that Turkey?
This year , we’re not having Turkey on Thanksgiving. I’m making something completely different, you’ll probably call me crazy when I tell you. I’m making “stuffed grape leaves” for Thanksgiving dinner! So Middle Eastern of me!! But this year I was like, I’m not really into Turkey, and chicken has been done, I’m in the mood for some good old fashioned stuffed Zucchini and grape leaves. You should try it if you haven’t. Anyway, no matter what you’re making or eating this Thanksgiving, I think we can all be thankful for GOOD FOOD ! Can I get an AMEN?
So speaking of Thankfulness and Thanksgiving, there an anonymous person, who wrote a song/poem in the Bible. He started out with such Thankfulness and positive thoughts; thanking God for His faithfulness, and a few lines later the song takes a very sad tone. I read it. I thought, why? Why did this author do that? And that’s when I learned a valuable lesson which I’m going to share with you right now.
“Praise the LORD! Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles
of the LORD? Who can ever praise him enough?” Ps. 106:1,2
That’s how the psalm starts. The author was thankful and wanted to list what God has done. And that’s what he begins to do. He started listing the miraculous signs that God has done. The reason he’s listing past events is what? It’s because He’s thankful for God’s goodness.
Then 2 short paragraphs later, he begins describing how his ancestors messed up. How they sinned against God over and over again despite what God had done for them. What he said is so eye-opening… So he’s listing the miracles and listing and listing, then he goes:
“…Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!
In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland” Psalm 106: 13,14.
Just in case you’re not aware of what happened with the people of God in the wilderness, let me tell you briefly. For forty years in the wilderness, the people of God found themselves in a pickle (still thinking about food here). Every time they faced trouble God performed amazing acts of wonder. Whether fighting for them against their enemies, or splitting the Red Sea so they could walk through it, or bringing water out of a rock when they were thirsty…
The problem was that it wasn’t long before the Israelites forgot God’s goodness. Every time they were faced with another dilemma, instead of being thankful and seeking Him, they would start grumbling and complaining. To the extent that even Moses -their leader- wished to die because they were such an ungrateful nation.
You see, complaining and grumbling is the opposite of thankfulness. We complain and grumble because we don’t see any good coming from the present situation. While thankfulness sees the good in every situation. Thankfulness shows trust and confidence, believing that God can turn things around like He’s done in the past. Grumbling portrays doubt. That’s why when you and I are being thankful, it shows God that we remember what He’s done and we trust that His goodness will precede us no matter what things look like right now.
My friend, I know you maybe facing your own dilemmas. I want to encourage both of us, no matter what you have to deal with this Thanksgiving, let thankfulness be the main dish on your menu. And let it be a daily decision.
How about I pray for you today? Lord Jesus, thank you for everything you’ve done in my life and in my friend’s life, reading this letter. I pray that you always remind them of your goodness, and give them a heart that’s thankful and trusting you at every turn. Help them remember as they thank, that You are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Happy Thanksgiving friend, go easy on that Turkey!
For more on love, relationships & the single life check out Your Love is Better than Wine: Letters to Mr. Right.
You can also find it at “The GateWay Bookshop” & The “Bible Society” in Beirut, Lebanon.
For more on love, relationships & the single life check out Your Love is Better than Wine: Letters to Mr. Right.
You can also find it at “The GateWay Bookshop” & The “Bible Society” in Beirut, Lebanon.
michalmerhej 