Happy Thanksgiving...

Note: This Thanksgiving, I'll use the words of two amazing writers. First off, my close friend Jonathan Ziman, who wrote this devotional for today:

It's impossible not to have certain assumptions about what Christmas Day should look like. Years of family traditions have conditioned us to expect certain foods, certain activities and even a certain kind of weather. Mess with any of those key ingredients and the whole Christmas Day recipe gets thrown off. However, somewhere in the middle of wrapping the presents, decorating the tree, baking the cookies, and preparing to either visit, or be visited by, friends and family, we need to reflect on who we are thankful to and why.

Heb. 1:1-4 (NIV):
"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs."

The writer of the Book of Hebrews points us in the right direction when he says, "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word" (Heb. 1:3a). His is a Heavenly focus, an act of praise and worship directed towards the creator of all things. His vision is grand in scope, beyond the trivialities of daily life. The writer acknowledges that Jesus is at the center of everything.

Col. 1:15-17 (NIV):
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together."

Unfortunately, our own Thanksgiving prayers can often fall painfully short of this grand vision of God's greatness. All too often they can end up sounding little more than a quickly written thank-you note:

"Dear God, Thank you for giving me . It fits perfectly/is exactly the right color/sounds just the way I thought it would. I look forward to seeing you again soon, love, ."

Although our intentions are spot on, our words indicate a heart that secretly treats God like a kind old grandfather. Our thankfulness is driven almost entirely by the things we have and the resulting emotions that we feel. Rarely are we driven to thankfulness simply because God is God. Yes, of course we should be thankful and appreciative for all the blessings that come from God. We deserve none of it and it is healthy to respect God as the Creator of all good things. However, if we never move beyond that model, then how can we be thankful during times of stress and difficulty? How can we be thankful in sickness and suffering? What does it look like to express thanks when we don't feel thankful?

****

Good question. And so, to help me articulate what I'm MOST thankful for this Thanksgiving, I'll turn to the late Dr. Shadrach Meshach Lockridge.

Click here to view the video.
(It takes a while to load, but it's worth it.)