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3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven. Ephesians 1:3-5
Thanksgiving is a time to reflect upon the role of gratitude in our lives so that we might be ready to overflow with thanks on this special day. But, for many of us, Thanksgiving Day is so filled with activity that it’s hard to stop for a few moments of intentional gratitude. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to, at some point during what might be a busy holiday, set aside at least ten minutes to intentionally thank God for God’s manifold grace in your life. If you haven’t found time during the daylight for such a thing, perhaps you could end your day by thanking God right before falling asleep. I encourage you to develop two more practices to enrich your Thanksgiving celebration. The first is inspired by the example of the Apostle Paul. In the opening of his letter to the Colossians, Paul tells them that he thanks God for them and why. Paul’s prayer is not some hackneyed, empty prayer. Rather, he tells his readers precisely why he is thankful for them: “Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people … that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven” (Colossians 1:4-5). Perhaps you could do something like this today. As you thank the Lord for the people in your life, consider telling at least one of them that you have done so. Maybe you could do this during your Thanksgiving gathering, or through a phone or Zoom call. You might drop someone a note, an email, or even a quick text. Something that seems so easy can make a big difference to the recipient . . . as well as to the sender. In addition to telling people you are thankful to God for them, you might also intentionally thank people directly. Of course, it’s always a good idea to thank the people who make and serve your Thanksgiving dinner. But look for other opportunities as well. If you see someone at dinner who has made a difference in your life, tell them so and say, “Thank you.” I am regularly amazed at how expressing gratitude can make such a difference in relationships, as well as in my heart. When you’re out and about at this time of year, whether picking up some last-minute items in the grocery store or flying across the country, be especially aware of those working rather than enjoying a holiday weekend. A simple “Thank you for working today” can gladden the hearts of people who are usually taken for granted. Of course, there’s no reason to stop thanking people when the official Thanksgiving holiday is over. Making efforts to say “Thank you” to folks “out there” could be a wonderful Advent practice. I want to let you know how grateful I am to God for you. I’ve been at FECC for 5 ½ years now. Your love and service to the Lord and your loving care for me are a big part of what keeps me going. I’m also thankful to those of you who support our church financially. You are quite literally keeping our work going. Plus, I’m grateful for the opportunity to study God’s Word and share with you what I discover there. So, my sisters and brothers, thank you for being you. I am truly grateful for you! Once again . . . with a heart full of gratitude, I wish you all a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving. Luke 5:4-11
There was a college class that I’d attempted to take twice, and both times, I realized that it was not going well. I tried to jump off the ship. Some people find the reality of a very present God during the sermon exposition on Sunday. Others find their burning bush, prison cell, the palace of Shushan, or Damascus road in the rest of the fullness of the Lord in all the world. Or, in chemistry. By the third attempt, my conversation with God had struck a different tone. I was asking God for another degree (perhaps that “underwater basket weaving” major was right, and I did not discern heaven’s guidance well.) Although it was clear that I needed to head back to Young Hall and reenroll, I knew what had happened, and I was sure it would happen again. This is a common place for humanity to circle back to: we know what will happen because we have been there before. Work is a place where the vast majority of us (especially those in blue- or new-collar work) are often caught up in the monotony of repetition. We do the status quo daily and only get noticed when something goes wrong. Peter seemed to be in a place of monotony. Casting again and again for little return can do that to anyone, especially when casting determines one’s livelihood (Luke 5:5). Jesus tells the disciples to head out into the sea, almost sounding matter of fact: “Let down your nets for a catch.” In Christ’s Kingdom, the most ordinary, mundane, repeated (and often failed) attempts can bring about the most wonderful gift. That is, after all, what grace is. By attempt three of taking the course, I was deeply entrenched in the Peter-ish “worked all night” trying-to-pass mentality. During enrollment, I found that a different professor would be teaching the class. Then, the format of instruction changed. The curriculum was rearranged, and after I received a high grade on the first exam, there was a lot of clarity that I might pass this class. Peter was in a boat, Esther in a palace, Moses by a bush and later a cleft in a rock, some boys in a furnace, Lazarus in a cave, and a Roman soldier by a Roman crucifixion. Among common and ordinary repeated events of life, like these experienced fishermen in Luke 5 who had cast and re-cast, they found the awesome wonder of a present God in the monotony of their routine everyday work. God may call you to do the same thing that you did yesterday. Awe does not need the sensational to occur. We only need the recognition of a present Kingdom, and the God of all saying things like: “Go back into that workplace and try again.” Luke 7:36-50
The passage in Luke 7 is a story of extravagance and generosity. The ointment was expensive, and so was the alabaster jar. The woman whom nobody wanted near the table or the feast was extravagant in love. Somehow Jesus' forgiving love had got through to her, and she responded as best she knew: giving something very costly. It was her way of giving generously. Jesus saw beyond the sin and behind the oil to the love she had for Him. That love would conquer all in the end. Her act of love was a response to Jesus' compassion and forgiveness. The jar of ointment was expensive, highlighting the generosity of the unnamed woman who was a sinner. Somehow Jesus' compassion and forgiveness hit her so deeply that she poured out love for Him as a response to her relationship with Him. In prayer, we can sometimes think of God's care, protection, and forgiveness in our life, and be grateful, with words or in silence. On the other hand, the courtesy and polish of the Pharisee, Simon, kept up appearances. The polite invitation masked a dismissive judgment and left unchallenged the unwelcomed woman. Jesus saw through the veneer, "Simon, I have something to say to you.” In the presence of Jesus, I can trust Him to say what He needs to say to me, knowing that He will speak with love and accompany me in finding life. Jesus recognizes what is present in both Simon and the woman. He sees the movement of grace in the “bad woman” and the stiff resistance of the “good man.” Before Jesus, I pray that I may notice where God is already at work in my life and have the grace to yield to what God wants to do next. Luke shows us two responses to Jesus based on two attitudes about sin and grace. Why did the woman act the way she did? She grasped the gravity and the multitude of her sins. She understood her sinful condition. That is why she must find Jesus. That is why she responds the way she did. Why did Simon act his way? He did not see his need for Jesus. He did not see himself as a great debtor. So, Simon did little for Jesus. Do you love Jesus much? Or do you love Jesus little? Your actions reveal the answer to this question. Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.
(Psalm 50:23) November is the season of thanksgiving! As we prepare to celebrate the annual Thanksgiving, we can also use this opportunity to reflect on our journeys throughout the year and discover the trace of God's grace in our lives. I thank God that this year I finally had the opportunity to learn course of “Journey to Intimacy” with the sisters in our church. In this growth group, we have many practical exercises to help us build better relationships, and one of them is to make emotional deposit for the angels in our lives. Who are the angels in our lives? They are the people who have helped us, given us love and grace in the storms of our lives, when we are in danger and frustration. (Referenced from the student handbook of “Journey to Intimacy”.) The first angel that came to my mind was my middle school counselor from church. Although I went to church with my grandmother and attended children's Sunday school when I was very young, I did not have a staple church life until my classmate from middle school invited me to her church. My counselor was gentle and kind, and she would often call to show her care for me and pray with me. She would also write me small cards to encourage me to pursue and grow in the Lord. Her ministry is a wonderful example for me on the road of ministry, and when I think of those two years of church life, my heart is always touched and filled gratitude! However, it is a pity that when I left Taiwan, I did not ask her address. At the time when the internet was not yet widespread, I lost contact with my counselor. During my 25 years of living in the United States, I thought about all sorts of ways I might find her, but I never take the action. It wasn't until during this Journey to Intimacy group that my small group leader encouraged me and also prayed for me to have the opportunity to reconnect with my counselor so that I could express my gratitude to her. In the past, I have tried to search for the counselor’s name on Facebook, but I can't really confirm from the profile pictures. Then one day, a friend’s suggestion appeared on my Facebook with the exact same name of my counselor. Although I still couldn’t recognize her from the profile picture, but I decided to send her a message anyway because I don’t want to be regretted again. Thank God I found my counselor that I had been missing for 25 years! And finally I was able to express my gratitude to her for many years! Through this experience, I would like to encourage three things with you all:
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