Always and for All Things
WRITTEN BY DREW MATZ
Thanksgiving as Christian Meditation
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
It didn’t take long. In the blink of an eye, another year has passed. A few moments ago we were passing out candy to trick-or-treaters, and now the grocery stores are stocked to the ceiling with pumpkin, turkey, potatoes, and gravy. The holidays are upon us again, and the signs are everywhere. Despite being one of the few exclusively American holidays, Thanksgiving has become little more than the commercial door to the Christmas season – almost parodied by the “Black Friday” shopping phenomenon where overzealous coupon-cutters trample over each-other for various trinkets hours after sharing a meal dedicated to being thankful for what we already have. With indicators like this, it may be safe to presume that Americans may have a misunderstanding of what it means to be thankful.
Nevertheless, while not a Christian holiday per se, the roots of Thanksgiving are thoroughly grounded in Christian tradition. Since its origins in Pilgrim New England, its purpose, at least traditionally, has been to gather together with loved ones to partake in a meal dedicated to thanksgiving to God – to reflect deeply on the things that truly matter in life and to reprioritize. It is a time to renew our focus on God and on one another, and to express gratitude for the many blessings that he has given us through his son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
But we should digress, for Thanksgiving is not something that is confined to a day’s worth of reflection over turkey and pie. In fact, the New Testament is absolutely brimming with language about thanksgiving and gratitude. Moreover, it tells us to be thankful in all circumstances (1 Th. 5:18), whether the circumstances are good or bad. This doesn’t mean we should be thankful for the wounds we bear in this life. God understands our pain. Rather, it is to be thankful in spite of the calamities and trials we endure – to give thanks to God in a Job-like defiance of the tests of sin, death, and the Devil.
“Thanksgiving becomes less about a dedicated day, and more about a way of life...”
For us, Thanksgiving is not defined by a hallmark holiday in November. It is the music of those redeemed by the blood of the lamb. It flows forth from a heart renewed in Christ like the water flowed forth from the rock struck by Moses (Num. 20:11). It sets aside no days for dedication to thanking God, since every day lived is lived as a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Ps. 116:17). Thanksgiving becomes less about a dedicated day, and more about a way of life. It is a dance to the song of love, a song that proceeds from the mouth of Jesus himself, allowing us to “speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:19-20).
This year, gather together with those you love. Eat and drink to the glory of God in Christ Jesus. Reflect further on the blessings he has given you. But go further – use the day to meditate on the new creation that you are in Christ, giving thanks to God and asking him to grant repentance – in order that through you he might bear much fruit. Amen.