Everyday thanksgiving

Yesterday we celebrated a national day of Thanksgiving. Early in our nations history, our president set aside November 26th as a day to spend in contemplation and thankfulness to God for peace and bounteous blessings. We have continued that tradition to this day. Yet today it has become a day to overeat, play games, watch football, and even shop.

How much time was spent thinking on the blessings we enjoy? Perhaps a few, if a prayer was said to thank God for the food. But what else? Was there time set aside to remember what we really have? I don't mean materially, but spiritually. Or is the dearth of activity in that department suggest a deeper emptiness?

Every day should be a day of thanksgiving. As a baptized believer, I have the most blessed existence! It is not limited to the day or the hour I even spend in the assembly with other Christians. It is a minute by minute thankfulness for the free gift given by Christ when He gave up His right to heaven, came down to live as lowly man and die for my sins. He willingly obeyed the Father in doing this, knowing my own unaware, ungrateful heart. He took a chance that I would accept His gift.

How can I be less than ever-thankful for that?

Consider these words:

"For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come. Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."

Hebrews 13:14-16

Pure Religion

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. James 1:27

Two of our local congregations recently visited at several nursing facilities. We pass out cookies, sing a few hymns and visit briefly with the residents. They are always so appreciative of a touch, a sincere inquiry about their day, the songs of their youth. I watch as many sing from memory, listen with their eyes closed or even sleep peacefully the entire visit! :)

It is a small thing, once a month, to spend a few hours doing this. But what does God require of us? Just what we can do. We cannot all take orphans or widows into our homes, but we can visit a lonely, home-bound brother or sister. We can take a bowl of soup to a sick neighbor. We can share what God has given with those around us. But truly, we should share with those who cannot give us back. It's not 'what will I get out of this?' It's whose life can I make better, give comfort or remind them of the love of God.

God gave the best gift to us, can we not, out of the fullness of the gratitude in our own hearts, share with those who are the most vulnerable and needy; the children and the the elderly? As someone recently reminded me, we were once the former and will one day be the latter.

And this is just the beginning . . . but it's a place to start. And in the process we practice real religion, not just pretense. It's more than words.