HOW DID YOU SPEND THANKSGIVING?
November 25th 2018
It’s November 26th at 12:15 AM as I write this blog and Thanksgiving has come and gone yet again. The mere fact that you are reading this blog means two things. 1- God has sustained your life for another day. Praise Christ! 2- In God’s sovereignty, He has brought you here with me for the next 10 minutes or so. Therefore, with this gift of precious life; let us take a moment to reflect on Thanksgiving...how we each individually spent it…and then...perhaps shine light on how we might better make much of Christ through it moving moving forward.
So How Did You Spend It?
Was your Thanksgiving filled with board games and laughter...exclusively? Was it centered around food and shopping...only? Was it prioritized around football games and fellowship...primarily? Was it focused on family and rest...chiefly? I mean…don’t get me wrong. Each of those realities above are RIGHT...and GOOD...and TRUE things to be thankful for. Indeed, God is most definitely the author of them all. In fact, each of these were a part of my Thanksgiving experience at my parents place this weekend; of course, some to more of a degree than others.
But None of These Realities Are Supreme.
Throughout the weekend, God continued to remind me that these realities alone are worthless; mere seasoning to the main dinner entree. It was as if God was showing me how pointless seasoning is with no dinner entree to sprinkle it on? It would be quite disgusting!
Brothers and sisters, that’s why we must run away from the light, frivolous, and superficial Thanksgiving experiences we so often succumb to. Instead, we should lean in towards the sobering reality of the cross…with all of its implications…confidently interacting with the sobering truth of who we are and what God has/is doing for His glory despite our weakness.
- We should remember our devastating depravity and our hopelessness found in relying upon ourselves.
- We should remember the Lord’s incredible discipline in our lives and the sweet blessing that comes to those who trust their Father as He corrects us and orders our foot steps and life.
- We should remember the undeserved opportunity to suffer for Christ so that we may learn to persevere with joy and gladness.
- We should remember everything that God has mercifully saved us from.
- We should remember everything that God has graciously saved us for.
- We should remember the greatest gift given to us of all time. Namely~ Jesus.
This is what I was reminded of as I reflected upon the word of God; stepping away from the Thanksgiving festivities from time to time. Paul really brings this home in Romans 1:21 when he says,
“For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Did you see that?
We did not thank God --—> and as a result, we became futile, unproductive, and fruitless in how we think about life and what’s most important --—> and as a further result, our ability to discern what matters most to God died more and more daily.
Can’t you see? This has been the problem for well over 2000 years. Although we “know God”...isn’t it true that we often fail to give Him thanks?
We did not thank God --—> and as a result, we became futile, unproductive, and fruitless in how we think about life and what’s most important --—> and as a further result, our ability to discern what matters most to God died more and more daily.
Can’t you see? This has been the problem for well over 2000 years. Although we “know God”...isn’t it true that we often fail to give Him thanks?
Did You Fail To TRULY Give God Thanks?
I mean the type of thanks that penetrates well beyond food, shelter, provision, family, and circumstances? Did you thank God on that type of level? Will not all these earthly things too pass away...not just because natural death occurs (which therefore signifies the death of all the aforementioned); but even throughout our lives here and now? You can feel it deep within...can’t you? The slippery slope of how food, shelter, family, provision, health, and circumstances...they never fully sustain and satisfy you right? They all fade daily. You know it's true. But what’s the real why? Why do these things disappoint us?
The Real WHY:
Because We Exist to Appreciate (or Give Thanks to) God Above All Things
The high cost of being a true Bible-believing—Christ-exalting disciple means to joyfully become more and more comfortable with being uncomfortable. We really need to get this. As long as we remain comfort seekers instead of Christ’s true regenerate disciples; we won’t see this world and our part in it correctly. If our Thanksgiving looks just like everyone else’s; something has went terribly wrong. I'm sure the cultural Christian won’t agree with me this morning; but I’m not writing for them; but instead, for those who truly desire to walk with Jesus.
So did your Thanksgiving look like the world's?
Consider this: If you were persecuted for Christ; and the cost of following Jesus was the loss of all food, shelter, provision, family, freedom...or even your life...what type of gratitude then would you be able to authentically express? What type of thankfulness then would endure? Where would your satisfaction be at that point? If it wouldn’t be in those things (which it wouldn’t, because they would be gone), why elevate them now as most important?
You see, you MUST look to the deepest reservoirs of your heart about where you have placed your gratitude and affections on Thanksgiving. Are they placed on a deep thankfulness for eternal realities like your justification through the blood-bought gift paid by Jesus The Christ; which allows you to die daily and rightly---so that you might live brightly for Him? (this is sanctification). Are you focused on being thankful for the realities and relationships that God is using to literally move your footsteps towards Eternity?
Now, I'm not submitting that Thanksgiving must be this gloom and doom…joyless experience. Laughter, scrumptious food, and fellowship are good delights. But I do believe these alone— divorced from a type of real seriousness in our hearts about what God has done for us through His Son; robs us of something immensely powerful that God has graciously provided us. There’s a type of Christ-infused charge...humble swagger almost that we get to experience because of Jesus. And though Thanksgiving has officially come and gone, it remains my hope that you would take a few moments to have your own Christ-exalting Thanksgiving conversation with Jesus. Do it right now. Besides; I believe it’s the only type of Thanksgiving we will one day experience in Eternity anyway—So we might as well start practicing on how we will live in our Father’s house. Let’s pray.
So did your Thanksgiving look like the world's?
Consider this: If you were persecuted for Christ; and the cost of following Jesus was the loss of all food, shelter, provision, family, freedom...or even your life...what type of gratitude then would you be able to authentically express? What type of thankfulness then would endure? Where would your satisfaction be at that point? If it wouldn’t be in those things (which it wouldn’t, because they would be gone), why elevate them now as most important?
You see, you MUST look to the deepest reservoirs of your heart about where you have placed your gratitude and affections on Thanksgiving. Are they placed on a deep thankfulness for eternal realities like your justification through the blood-bought gift paid by Jesus The Christ; which allows you to die daily and rightly---so that you might live brightly for Him? (this is sanctification). Are you focused on being thankful for the realities and relationships that God is using to literally move your footsteps towards Eternity?
Now, I'm not submitting that Thanksgiving must be this gloom and doom…joyless experience. Laughter, scrumptious food, and fellowship are good delights. But I do believe these alone— divorced from a type of real seriousness in our hearts about what God has done for us through His Son; robs us of something immensely powerful that God has graciously provided us. There’s a type of Christ-infused charge...humble swagger almost that we get to experience because of Jesus. And though Thanksgiving has officially come and gone, it remains my hope that you would take a few moments to have your own Christ-exalting Thanksgiving conversation with Jesus. Do it right now. Besides; I believe it’s the only type of Thanksgiving we will one day experience in Eternity anyway—So we might as well start practicing on how we will live in our Father’s house. Let’s pray.
ABBA FATHER,
Help us to transition from this Thanksgiving break by savoring a moment to be focused on you as a center of our gratitude---not the things of the world. Even if for 10 minutes; remind us that good realities often distract us from far superior realities you want us to focus on. Make us children of the light. Let us REPENT and CONFESS where necessary so we can be free. Help us to not fall prey to our flesh, Satan's deception, and the narrative Paul spoke about regarding those who “knew God but did not give Him thanks.” We don’t want to be consumed in our discontentment, anxieties, and disappointments… yet we also don’t want to be consumed by selfishness, materialism, pursuit for happiness, and entertainment either. Father don’t let us. Don’t allow our hearts to become darkened and our minds to become futile. Instead, transform our affections so that we might desire, love, and be most devoted to the things that You most love and are most devoted to. For that is what it means to be FREE in Christ...free to love what You supremely love. We want that. It’s because of your beautiful name we pray
Amen
Amen
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visit the website: MAKING MUCH OF CHRIST MINISTRIES
To learn more about The God who’s ready to walk with you click HERE
TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!