Thanksgiving - Part Two

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
I Thessalonians 5:18

I couldn't let Thanksgiving go by without getting a little theological. Thanksgiving. It should be part of our daily lives, not just an annual event. We Christians should be especially quick to voice our gratefulness to the Lord for His blessings. Instead, we are too often prone to grumble, a sign of an ungrateful heart...and a reminder of our sinful flesh. I'm sure Adam and Eve didn't have that problem in the Garden of Eden. They enjoyed perfect fellowship with their Creator, all the while marveling at His creation and goodness. But their sin changed everything, plunging all of humanity into a state of rebellion, contending for supremacy with God. The once perfect fellowship was marred by antagonism and resentment...and ungratefulness. The Apostle Paul wrote about this in Romans: "Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened." (Romans 1:21) The two resulting "crimes" of the Fall were that man no longer glorified God, and they were ungrateful.

Joel and I helped with the rescue mission's Great Thanksgiving Banquet last night, and it was once again a sobering reminder of how blessed we are to be in Christ. As I saw the spiritual poverty of many of the banquet guests, I couldn't help but praise God that He saved me from myself. Without God's saving grace, I would have continued in a state of the spiritual darkness spoken of in Romans 1, and who knows where that would have taken me. So while I have many reasons to give thanks today, I am especially thankful that the work He began in me, He will be faithful to complete (Philippians 1:6).