T’is the season to be Giving: Thanks that is.
Perhaps I’ve been more sensitive to it more than years passed, but it seems there has been a concerted effort to put more emphasis on the ‘giving’ part of ‘Thanksgiving’. Sadly, some of us have moved so far from the Christian nature of ‘giving’ [charity] than we should and have need of these timely reminders. While having secular sources emphasize the need for exercising charity is a reminder as Christians we should be drawing our Charity from our relationship with God. Charity never fails! [1 Cor 13] God taught us through his WORD [Jesus] and Word [Bible] about charity. Some scriptural reminders about ‘giving’ follow:
“…in everything by prayer and supplication along with thanksgiving [eucharistia {Greek} Thankfulness; giving of thanks] let YOUR petitions be made known to God;” [Philippians 4:6b]
“To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks [Hiphil {Hebrew} to give thanks, laud, praise] to You forever.” [Psalm 30:12]
I’ve been reading Job these past few weeks. I am reading it slowly, trying to understand Job [the book] and its relevance to our overall Christian life. More on this later, but for this, out of it all, Job winds up humbled. But is it part of the humbling process to give ‘thanks’?
The opening words of Job attribute a pure ethic/ pure morality to him in the Hebrew term ‘tam’ for ‘perfect’ but the words ‘thanks’ ‘thank’ ‘praise’ are not found in Job. It seems the account is so very reminiscent of ‘human’ nature. Though he was a moral/ethical man it is obvious his discipline wrought some havoc on him. How many of us would survive this grueling event in our own lives and immediately coming through it, even if all was restored to us, feeling led to give thanks? He lost much. He lost kids, friends, time, and a momentary loss of face. When we read the account many ask, for what? Yet, one thing that is also human nature is to look for the positive in any situation, even if after the fact. In Job’s case, if nothing else, perhaps the most important issue that arose from his ordeal was the better developed relationship with God; perhaps a deeper sense of humility which is a close kin to moral and ethical purity; perhaps a heightened awareness of ‘appearance based judgment’. From God’s perspective HE said this about Job after it all: “For I will accept him, lest I deal with you according to your folly; because you have not spoken of Me what is right, [kuwn [Hebrew] in this instance meaning ‘fit’.] as My servant Job has.” [Job 42:8b]
As it turned out, because of Job’s moral and ethical purity, we see a reversal of roles. We see God praising Job! While the Bible is silent on ‘thanksgiving’ from Job after his ordeal, we know he was so conscientious before his ordeal that he used to make a sacrifice to God for his kids in the off chance they’d not done it themselves for mistakes they may have made. Those of us who know anything about human nature would quickly understand anyone who had this as a habit before his ‘discipline’ would understand there to be no doubt that Job would very much give thanks to God.
The moral question I supposed now: Do we wait until we have been tried as was Job to begin to initiate thanksgiving to God for our manifold blessings? Do we lose all that we have before we appreciate it more fully? Do we place more store on the ‘things’ ‘people’ ‘relationships’ in our lives than our ONE relationship with God? Do we speak of God in terms that are not ‘fit’? Do we live lives that are not morally and ethically pure? Do we need to be humbled?
What is more humble than to fall to one’s knees and give thanks to God? Even if it is not possible to fall/get down on your knees literally, is it not time now to initiate THANKSgiving to God? Each of us must clearly define/articulate that for which we are led to give thanks. There is no time like now?
May your Thanksgiving be truly filled with giving THANKS and to God. May it also be filled with the special family time as our family and friends are blessings for which we give thanks to God.
