Happy Monday !
I have to admit that sometimes when I hear the abundance of "Thanksgiving" speak that goes on in our world I start to get a little cynical. It all sounds kind of like this:
- blah blah blah blah Happy Thanksgiving.
- blah blah blah to you and yours blah blah blah.
- blah blah blah Black Friday Only blah blah blah.
Do people really feel thankful?
Do I really feel thankful?
Doesn't thankfulness ultimately require an object to which we express gratitude? Granted, for some that object may simply be circumstance, lucky stars, themselves, or good Karma.
All holidays are a reminder to me that we should actually live a certain way throughout the rest of the year.
Those who know me know that I am unapologetic about my belief in God and I also believe that he is personal and absolutely unavoidable and unmissable in life if we just have the right lens to see him.
Like many of you, I close each day with tremendous gratitude for the life I have, and the provisions and blessings that are available. This extends also to the future that lies before me. It produces tremendous optimism despite present circumstances.
I am also very conscious of the fact that many people do not have even a small portion of what I do.
Does that mean God cares more for some than for others?
NO!, I believe our thankful awareness is supposed to cause us to take action and bring relief and care for those who lack?
Thus,
PART A is expressing thanksgiving. Then PART B is that we express it out into the world where people suffer and are in bondage.
If we lack PART B, then our thanksgiving may just sound like this to God: "Dear Lord, blah blah blah blah blah blah."
I know that's how it sounds to many in need.
Let this week not be a thanksgiving platitude for you. May you take your gratitude and touch the world somewhere and make it better because of your thankfulness.
