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“Rejoice.... I will say it again: Rejoice!..but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.” -Philippians 4: 4-5
Such are the words of the beloved Apostle Paul. Paul’s attitude was very straight-forward: Rejoice and give thanks in everything.
As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables with family, friends, maybe new acquaintances, have we taken an attitude check? Too often Thanksgiving is about the meal and the football game that follows, and as much as we all over-enjoy that, it really is meant to be more.
Please allow me to digress for a moment. It was President George Washington who issued the first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in The Massachusetts Centinel on October 14, 1789, just 13 years after America had declared its independence.
It was Abraham Lincoln who issued the Thanksgiving Day Proclamation on October 3, 1863 that set the precedent for America’s national day of Thanksgiving as we know it today. America was two years into the “Great War Between the States,” otherwise known as “The Civil War.”
Interesting that these two revered leaders of our nation would proclaim that giving thanks was a good idea for all of the nation so soon after or while still in the middle of such great national conflict and turmoil. The Civil War extended from 1861-1865. Is it possible that both understood the intent of the Apostle when he said , “but in everything?”
This is 2011 and the last 11 months or so have not been the best for our nation. I will not bother you with why I believe that statement is true.I think most will agree and you understand it as well as I do.
However, what is the point of Paul’s statement and the actions of these two historic leaders?
In all reality his point is very simple, as were the points that Washington and Lincoln were trying to make in their proclamations. Life may not always be fair, sometimes it is very cruel, we don’t always have everything we want, or in some cases maybe even need. It is easy to dwell on these things. It takes more courage and concentration to sometimes, not always, dwell on the relationships and things we do have. When we do that the result is obvious. We find ourselves in a better frame of mind and heart which in turn helps us deal with the rest of the stuff in our lives.
In the case of Abraham Lincoln a Proclamation of Thanksgiving was what he needed. History teaches us that Lincoln in all probability suffered from bouts of severe depression, and who wouldn’t with a civil war going on all around him. However, he had the wisdom to realize that even in the midst of suffering, a time out needed to be called, an inventory needed to be taken, a change from business as usual needed to be made. Thanksgiving needed to be expressed both individually and corporately.
That’s what Thanksgiving, as it does every year, does for us - it calls for a time-out.
Every parent knows there are times in the life of your children when they need to be sent to their room, a quiet place in the home, and just take a time-out, time to consider their circumstances, time to reason. a time to be quiet.
May your Thanksgiving be a good time-out in 2011. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
“Rejoice.... I will say it again: Rejoice!..but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving.” -Philippians 4: 4-5
Such are the words of the beloved Apostle Paul. Paul’s attitude was very straight-forward: Rejoice and give thanks in everything.
As we gather around our Thanksgiving tables with family, friends, maybe new acquaintances, have we taken an attitude check? Too often Thanksgiving is about the meal and the football game that follows, and as much as we all over-enjoy that, it really is meant to be more.
Please allow me to digress for a moment. It was President George Washington who issued the first Thanksgiving Day Proclamation in The Massachusetts Centinel on October 14, 1789, just 13 years after America had declared its independence.
It was Abraham Lincoln who issued the Thanksgiving Day Proclamation on October 3, 1863 that set the precedent for America’s national day of Thanksgiving as we know it today. America was two years into the “Great War Between the States,” otherwise known as “The Civil War.”
Interesting that these two revered leaders of our nation would proclaim that giving thanks was a good idea for all of the nation so soon after or while still in the middle of such great national conflict and turmoil. The Civil War extended from 1861-1865. Is it possible that both understood the intent of the Apostle when he said , “but in everything?”
This is 2011 and the last 11 months or so have not been the best for our nation. I will not bother you with why I believe that statement is true.I think most will agree and you understand it as well as I do.
However, what is the point of Paul’s statement and the actions of these two historic leaders?
In all reality his point is very simple, as were the points that Washington and Lincoln were trying to make in their proclamations. Life may not always be fair, sometimes it is very cruel, we don’t always have everything we want, or in some cases maybe even need. It is easy to dwell on these things. It takes more courage and concentration to sometimes, not always, dwell on the relationships and things we do have. When we do that the result is obvious. We find ourselves in a better frame of mind and heart which in turn helps us deal with the rest of the stuff in our lives.
In the case of Abraham Lincoln a Proclamation of Thanksgiving was what he needed. History teaches us that Lincoln in all probability suffered from bouts of severe depression, and who wouldn’t with a civil war going on all around him. However, he had the wisdom to realize that even in the midst of suffering, a time out needed to be called, an inventory needed to be taken, a change from business as usual needed to be made. Thanksgiving needed to be expressed both individually and corporately.
That’s what Thanksgiving, as it does every year, does for us - it calls for a time-out.
Every parent knows there are times in the life of your children when they need to be sent to their room, a quiet place in the home, and just take a time-out, time to consider their circumstances, time to reason. a time to be quiet.
May your Thanksgiving be a good time-out in 2011. Happy Thanksgiving to all!
