Giving Thanks in Difficult Days

The Thanksgiving weekend is past.  Today is “recovery” day.  Most in our nation will return to some version of normalcy.  For some, this Thanksgiving has been another traumatic holiday in a string of downturns and challenges.  Normal is full of trouble.  For others, the holiday was better than normal (or at least better than in recent years)–a sign of economic recovery.

Today, my mind goes back 17 years.  The Monday after that Thanksgiving meant dealing with the untimely deaths of my mother and step-father.  The trip to Kansas, surreal activities, time to consider the nature of life.  Time to think about God and faith and hope; time to question and wonder; time to reflect.

How can one be grateful in difficult days?  It is not easy to give thanks in difficult days.  I have no easy formulas or suggestions.  I can share an observation.  The time to decide that God is God and that God is good is before the difficult days come.  Once the difficulties come, it is easy to blame God–too easy to second-guess God, and self.

The great challenge of faith is deciding about the evidence objectively. Subjective decisions based on dark days and difficulties in life will ever lead to questioning.  (Subjective decisions based on life’s goodness are equally risky!)

God does not do what I think he ought to do, or even what I think he has to do.  God is God.  God’s thoughts and ways and actions are above human activity and comprehension.  God’s eternal view is more than long-term.  God’s view is a forever view.  For that, I am thankful!  Always!

It’s Sunday Again: Eucharist

Today it falls my responsibility to share some thoughts as the church surrounds the Table and shares communion.  Some churches call the occasion the Eucharist.  In churches of Christ (and most Protestant groups), We do not use the term Eucharist frequently, perhaps not at all formally. What is the Eucharist? What does the term mean?  Why have I chosen to use the term today? 

Eucharist refers to what we more often call the Lord’s Supper or communion. It is literally, the thanksgiving. The term comes from the Greek word which means to give thanks.  The Bible says, Jesus took the bread and gave thanks. The word simply means “thanksgiving.” Jesus gave thanks. The meal is named for the practice that introduces it. 

Here we are on Thanksgiving weekend. As the church assembles for worship, we will share “the thanksgiving”. As we partake, will our hearts swell with gratitude? Are we overwhelmed by the extent of the gift? Do we think that we could never be able to say thank you enough? On this thanksgiving weekend, may we come to the Supper with thanksgiving, individually and collectively. Let us give thanks for the unspeakable gift we remember at the Table! 

Life Savors: Grandchildren

Our eldest son, Michael, and his family arrived yesterday afternoon for our weekend Thanksgiving celebration.  Having one’s home full of activity–laughter, playing, loving, sharing is a genuine “life savor”.  The end of the day feels different when the house is full of life.

The Psalmist said children are a heritage from the Lord.  Blessed are those with “full quivers.”  Today I note that children and grandchildren are a blessing from the Lord.  Jan is planning dinner for thirteen.  Today we will savor life in the family.  We will spend time with one of life’s little pleasures–our grandchildren.

Thanksgiving

Dear Readers,
On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thinking about the blessings of God in my life. More specifically, I am thinking about the mission work God is enabling at Baxter Institute and Clinic in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in this work. I am thankful for the ways God is working through Baxter to bless the world.

  • I am thankful for the more than 500 graduates who are faithfully preaching the gospel, building churches, evangelizing the lost, and training even more preachers of the gospel. I am thankful that these men and women are giving their lives for the sake of the gospel.
  • I am thankful that we are finding fresh ways to touch the lost people in our world as we explore options such as medical outreach, small groups, church planting teams, and community service.
  • I am thankful for the way the work at the clinic demonstrates the possibility of peace and wholeness.
  • I am thankful for the hearts of our current students who are committed to service in the kingdom.
  • I am grateful for the hospitality and generosity of a great network of supporters and encouragers who make the work at Baxter and the Clinic possible.
  • I am grateful for the board members, administrators, faculty, health professionals, and employees with whom I work and serve.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.” [Psalm 136:1]

Life Savors: What would my grandma say?

What would my grandma say? I remember her scolding! She wanted me to learn proper etiquette. I should acknowledge every gift and card. I should do more than sign my name when I send a thank you–I should also write a little note. I remember her admonitions, even if I haven’t always succeeding in following them perfectly.

Now we are in the electronic communication age. Greetings, cards, and even gifts are sent in an instant. One can receive hundreds of cards and greetings. What would my grandma say?

Would she still say that I should answer each of them individually? I don’t know. But given the virtual impossibility of sending personal thank you notes to all who sent greetings, shared love and friendship, and wrote words of well wishing for my birthday, this is my acknowledgement.

I have very special friends–you buoy my spirits and keep me going when quitting would be easier. Thank you for your love, humor, encouragement, friendship, and faith. Because of you, I have experienced another “life savor.”

[I think my grandma would say that I should attempt to return the favor. So, that is my resolution. I am going to be more diligent in encouraging others.]

Another Birthday!

Wall postings, Facebook, status comments, e-mail, e-cards, I-phones, snail mail….   None of these words or phrases existed for my early birthdays.  We live in a changing world.

Dozens of birthday greetings, literally from around the world, mysteriously entering my electronic mailbox, many of them just after midnight!  To all who shared, thank you for your love and for remembering (even though we now get electronic reminders of the birthdays of hundreds of our acquaintances).  I appreciate your presence in my life, your encouragement, and your love.   

40 Days of Gratitude: My List

November
21–Salvation
22–God’s revelation—special and natural
23–The beauty of nature, God’s natural revelation
24–Relationship with God
25–The church
26–My heritage of faith and questioning
27–My family
28–Family—my wife
29–Family—my boys
30–Family—my mother
December
1–Family—my sister
2–Friends [general]
3–Ministry friends
4–Leadership friends
5–Missions friends
6–Students I have taught through the years
7–My coworkers across the years
8–Influences in my life
9–Education, knowledge, learning
10–Teachers
11–Christian college and universities
12–Churches—my spiritual family
13–My early churches—St. John, Delrose, Okeene
14–My ministry churches—Dierks, 15th Street, Plymouth, Lansing, Ft Gibson, Main and Oklahoma
15–Supporting churches
16–Domestic mission churches
17–Foreign mission churches
18–Ministers and Ministries
19–Missionaries and Missions
20–My purpose
21–My mind/creativity/wisdom/knowledge
22–My stuff
23–My skills
24–My body—the ability to move
25–My heart–emotions
26–My ministry
27–Opportunities to work
28–Opportunities/ability to bless others and to bring joy to others
29–Memories
30–Hope/the future

The 41st day, the last day of 2010, I am calling a day of gratitude. I will be grateful for THE YEAR PAST AND THE YEAR COMING.

It’s Sunday Again: 40 Days of Gratitude

Thanksgiving Sunday. Is it today or next Sunday? Next Sunday is part of the traditional Thanksgiving weekend. But during 40+ years of preaching ministry, I generally preached my Thanksgiving sermon the Sunday before Thanksgiving. By the Sunday after, most people have forgotten the holiday just past in favor of the holiday coming in less than a month. People are stuffed, satisfied, and shifted to the Christmas season. I hear and read fewer and fewer Thanksgiving sermons. Perhaps the Thanksgiving sermon is in danger of going the way of all flesh.

I find that fewer and fewer in our pews appreciate the purity and simplicity of the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is my favorite secular holiday. I like this time of year; I like the colors; I like the harvest and the finality of another year of gardening. Most of all, I like the religious foundations of the holiday. But Thanksgiving has changed during my lifetime. Although it is a time for family and friends, it seems less a day for giving thanks than in times past. Many of us eat well every day, and overstuff ourselves on Thanksgiving. For some, Thanksgiving is parades and football. For others, Thanksgiving is all about hunting season. Yet others use Thanksgiving as a day to get ready for the next day’s mad rush of shopping.

One can bemoan the cultural and societal changes surrounding Thanksgiving, but the better option is to recommit to a continuous attitude of gratitude. Gratitude is not a once-per-year matter. Gratitude is a way of seeing life. Gratitude is humility. Gratitude recognizes grace. Gratitude honors unconditional love which bestows blessings without regard to merit. We are not blessed because of who we are. Gratitude is the opposite of pride.

Today I am beginning 40 days of gratitude! Every day until the end of 2010. “Father, help me develop the gratitude habit.” I challenge you to make a list today or 40 things you are thankful for, and focus on one of them for each of the next 40 days.

(Tomorrow, I will share my list.)

Why Christian?

I am thinking about why we Christians do what we do. Why do some who claim to be Christians not do the things generally associated with Christianity? Why are some involved and others inactive?

Such a big question requires more space than I have today. But my thinking led me to consider the following question: Do I act because of who God is or because of what God can do for me? When my worship and my life is a natural outgrowth of having seen God as one worthy of worship and adoration, praise and imitation, that changes everything! Have I seen God? Do I understand God? Do I recognize him in his unique glory, respect him for who he is? Surely such is biblical–worship and life that issues forth from who God is.

The other option is that I act because of what I can receive or because my actions will benefit me. This version of Christianity neglects or rejects God when life sours, when challenges overwhelm, and when expected benefits or results do not come.

The question seems a good one: why do we do what we do? May we be focused on God and not on self, on his glory more than our problems, on his worthiness more than our needs.

It’s Sunday Again: A High Standard

We have either failed to see or have ignored the high standard of Christianity. Either way, we have demeaned and diminished discipleship. We have developed a contemporary version of Christianity that demands little. Jesus’ words about counting the cost, denying self, cross bearing, and putting Jesus first–above parents, possessions, prestige, have little meaning in today’s casual Christianity.

Peter wrote to the church when it was scattered, enduring suffering, separated and maligned. He encourages them with several reminders. Perhaps none of those reminders is more powerful that the identity reminder of 1 Peter 2:9-10. First, the church is God’s idea. We are God’s plan and God’s possession–God’s treasured people. God chose the church. God chose us first. We are not the initators; we did not choose God. The church is God’s nation, those over whom God reigns as king. Second, the church is called to holiness. God set apart a people to himself, a holy nation, belonging to him. Holiness is so all-inclusive as to be almost beyond comprehension. Holiness affects every part of life. Set apartness changes priorities and enables purity. Third, the church is God’s royal priesthood. This reflects the promise of Exodus 19:5-6. The church thus becomes God’s presence in the world, and accepts the responsibility to intercede for the world before God’s throne.

Sunday evening’s sermon will explore these three concepts in more detail. Pray that we might not only see God’s plan in our lives, but that we might live it out.