Thankful I'm Not A Turkey

It was such a blessing to have our daughter, our son-in-law, and our four grandsons at our house for Thanksgiving last week.  We had a very traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, and pumpkin pie.  Before the meal, we each took a turn saying what we were thankful for, beginning with our second grandson who is 6-1/2 years old.  He said, "I'm thankful I'm not a turkey!"  We all had a good laugh, then continued around the table, mentioning family, health, our relationship with Jesus, and numerous other blessings.  Finally, after going all the way around the table, we were back to our second grandson who led us in prayer, thanking God for our food.

Even though our grandson was just looking for a laugh from the family, his comment caused me to think:  For some people, it might be hard to find something for which they are truly thankful.  I'm thinking about a sweet family whose son, about the same age as my grandson, died from a rare form of leukemia just a couple of months ago.  I'm thinking about the family in the town where I live who lost everything they own in a house fire last summer, started when their four little girls were playing with matches.  I'm thinking about my friend who was just diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.  I'm thinking about the veteran who lost his legs and is now suffering from PTSD.  Perhaps all they can find to be thankful for this year is that they are not the turkey.

There was a time, a little over 18 years ago, that I, too, didn't feel thankful at all.  When my son died, I was not thankful.  I still am not thankful for the accident that killed him, but now I am able to be thankful to God for giving me 21 year with him.  I'm thankful He gave me the strength to go on, even though I still miss him every day of my life.  I'm thankful that God knows my pain and has compassion on me and all my family.  I'm thankful that He heard my prayer when I asked Him why, and that He didn't call my questioning a sin.  I'm thankful that He allowed me to be angry with Him for a short time, but that He soothed my anger with His love and grace, never allowing me to become bitter and hateful.  I'm thankful that now I am able to share with others the source of true joy and strength, and that is knowing and having a personal relationship with The Living God, Our Creator, Our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Consider your faith right now.  Is it strong enough to hold up under trial and unbearable hurt?  If not, begin now to strengthen your faith.  Begin by praising God for who He is, thanking Him for what He does, and asking Him to grow your faith.  He will do it.  Don't wait until the catastrophe comes.  Choose now to live by faith, not by sight. 

Oswald Chambers writes, "The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is not built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing can change.  And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday events or terrifying ones, are powerless to 'separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord' (Romans 8:39)." 

In Nehemiah 8:10, the Bible says, "The joy of the Lord is your strength."  That passage refers to a time when the prophet Ezra had been reading from the Book of the Law of Moses, and all the people were worshiping God together.  The word translated as "joy" in this passage is the Hebrew word, "chedvah."  It is used only one other time in the Bible, and that is in Ezra 6:16 when the people celebrated with joy when the rebuilt temple was dedicated.  I get the sense that this kind of joy is associated only with a deep, personal, tangible nearness to God.  When we focus on Him and on His attributes and His word, He gives us joy and strength that is beyond anything we can imagine.  That is the strength and joy that buoyed me through the darkest time in my life.  And that is the strength and joy that propels me to learn more about Him and to give more and more of myself to Him, living each day in eager anticipation about what He has for me next.  That is the joy that takes away fear, soothes pain, dispels worry, enables forgiveness, and produces strength.  (Excerpt from "I Choose Joy:  Strengthened by Faith, Equipped for Grief")

I hope you recognize many things for which you are thankful this year.  And I hope we will all remember those who are hurting this year and pray for them.  My prayer for you, for them, and for myself this week is Psalm 51:11-13 (New King James Version):  Heavenly Father, "Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.  Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, And sinners shall be converted to You."  Amen.