PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

November 27, 2022

THANKSGIVING 2022

Thanksgiving 2022 finds our nation deeply divided politically.  The war in Ukraine brings uncertainty on the international front. In some areas of the country, the cost for the Thanksgiving dinner this year is significantly higher than last year.  In addition, turkeys are hard to find.  The cost to heat homes will be considerably higher than last year.  The media is filled with stories of doom and gloom.

In her book The Hiding Place Corrie ten Boom writes about her experience in Ravensbruck Concentration camp during World War II.  One day as she was reading her bible she came across a passage in I Thessalonians where Paul tells his readers “to give thanks in all circumstances. (I Thessalonians 5:17b).”   One thing that got on Corrie’s nerves were the fleas that invested her barracks.  Therefore, she decided to give thanks for them even though it did not make any sense.  Later, she discovered her guards also did not like the fleas and thus they stayed away, giving Corrie and her fellow prisoners a degree of freedom.

If Corrie ten Boon could give thanks in the horrific conditions of the Ravensbruck concentration camp, surely one should be able to find reason to give thanks this Thanksgiving in spite of the depressing news.  The quote from I Thessalonians comes from Paul’s concluding exhortations to his readers.  In part he says, “See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the Spirit.  Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil (I Thessalonians 5:15-22).”  

Paul makes three suggestions that should help his readers to rejoice always and to give thanks in all circumstances.  First, do not repay evil for evil.  Much of public discourse today is a matter of returning personal attacks with personal attacks.  Paul is suggesting that we do not get involved in fault finding, impulsive criticism, and negative discourses.

Rather than repaying evil for evil, Paul tells us in I Thessalonians to abstain from evil and seek to do good.  In his letter to the Philippians the apostle puts flesh on what this might mean.  “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:8b-9).”

Finally, Paul exhorts the Thessalonians to pray without ceasing.  It seems unlikely that we should be constantly praying.  Rather it would seem to pray without ceasing means to be constantly aware of God’s presence in one’s life and that He is always available.  God is present in even the most difficult of circumstances.  He is as close as the last breath we took.

We should have reason to give thanks this Thanksgiving if we do not spend our time repaying evil for evil, if we seek to do good, and if we pray without ceasing.  If Corrie ten Boom was able to give thanks in the horrific circumstances of a Nazi concentration barrack, surely we should be able to do the same.