Newsletter - November 2004

Dear Friends:

When we turn the calendar to November, we begin to think of changing seasons, fall holidays, and preparations for family gatherings. And, of course, especially in November, we remember that we should be thankful.

Why is thankfulness such a big thing with God? After all, there are many verses of scripture in which we are commanded to be thankful. It is as if God takes his cue from mothers:

“Tell the nice lady thank you.”

“Say thank you. No, you can’t go outside to play until you say thank you!”

“Don’t forget to send Grandma and Grandpa a thank you note.”

“Remember your manners. Say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.”

Why is it so important for our children, and for us, to learn to say “thank you”? It is almost as if those two words close a critical relational loop. We have a need, the need is supplied, we thank the supplier of that need. Until the third step is done, the process is not complete.

What does a “thank you” actually accomplish? I think there are two things it does. First, it acknowledges the giver. There are gifts or kindnesses we receive that we may not have been able to provide for ourselves or that mean a great deal more coming from someone who cares about us than they would mean if we simply bought or ordered what we wanted. An engagement ring is a perfect example. If a woman saves and saves so she can buy the perfect diamond, it would pale in comparison to the ring carefully selected and purchased by the man who loves her enough to want to spend the rest of life with her. The giver is a very important part of the gift. Saying “thank you” is a way of acknowledging that.

Second, saying “thank you” fulfills a need for the thanker. Practicing sincere thankfulness doesn’t mean that you simply are doing the socially-acceptable thing. It means that you have a tenderness toward the person who gave to you or who did something nice for you. It means that you value the relationship and the giver. Feeling that thankfulness and not being able to express it would be like getting a hole in one on the golf course and not being able to tell anyone. Telling, or thanking, completes the joy.

Maybe the reason God is insistent that we be thankful (and he is!) is because gratitude brings us joy. The thanks we give is not for his benefit, but our own. When we say “thank you” to God, we acknowledge that we are dependent on him for everything, we grow in tenderness and love toward him, and we find that living with an attitude of thanksgiving is just a lot more fun than living in the pits of discontent and despair. We are given the power to choose to be thankful.

Many people puzzle long and hard over the command given in I Thessalonians 5:18 which says, “. . . give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I have heard many protests from people in the middle of difficult circumstances:

“You mean I am supposed to be thankful that my baby died?”

“How can I be thankful that I broke my leg? I am missing work, I can’t drive, and I’m no good to anybody.”

“I have cancer. You’re telling me to be thankful?”

Good questions, huh? Look at the verse again. We are to “give thanks in all circumstances” not for all circumstances. We live in a fallen world. When Satan has his way and something horrible happens such as being diagnosed with cancer or losing a child or a spouse, we should not say “thank you” to God for those events. He didn’t send them. To some extent, God is standing back and allowing evil to play itself out in this world. Eventually he will take control and move Satan out of the way permanently. But until then, both Christians and non-Christians fall victim to the nature of this sinful world. God does not expect that we be thankful for evil.

But even if we are not to thank God for these circumstances, we can and must thank him even while we are going through them. To be unthankful is to be disobedient. Sometimes it is a challenge, but whatever circumstance we are in, we must find something for which to say “thank you” to God.

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way, “. . . let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise . . .” (Hebrews 13:15; emphasis mine). I like that verse because it is as if the writer knows that being thankful is not always easy. Sometimes it is a sacrifice – a sacrifice of our demand to have our own way, a sacrifice of our desire to have a pain-free life, or a sacrifice of our personal goals and dreams.

There are times in our lives when thanksgiving just flows. We can act grateful because we are grateful. Our praise prayers could go on forever and our hearts are filling with love for God, the giver of all good gifts.

There are other times when being thankful is a spiritual discipline, a true sacrifice. Those are the times when we have to look at our core values and begin to thank God for the basics: his presence with us, eternal life which he has provided for us, relationships that nurture us, the promises in his Word, sunshine, warm blankets, oatmeal (OK, I’ve gone a little far!).

You understand, though. The things that are really important are there even when the circumstances around us are miserable. During those times, we need to thank God anyway. Doing so may not change our circumstances but it will change us. A heart that is thankful is a heart that is joyful. Believe it or not, saying “thank you” will make you happy! And God-given joy will help you get through anything. Really. If you don’t believe me, believe God, as you check out Nehemiah 8:10b, “. . . the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

I send this with my prayers that you will have an especially thanks-filled and joy-filled Thanksgiving this year!

Blessings,

Bev

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