A Reason to Be Thankful

A few years ago, I begrudgingly did what I hate doing.

It was Thanksgiving Day, and in the middle of the first football game, I had to leave to go with my father-in-law to pick up something from the local Big Lots.  Apparently, they had bought a new bed and it was available to pick-up that day.  We were in town, so I got drafted for duty.

It pained me to go to the store.  I hated it and I wanted no part of it.  I also wanted to be a dutiful son-in-law so I swallowed my pride and went to the store.

Nothing of great consequence happened.  We picked up the bed and he bought something else while he was there.  But deep down, I felt sick.  I knew by shopping on Thanksgiving Day I would become a statistic that would lead to a trend.  Already, I saw stores creeping ever closer to being open on Thanksgiving Day.

Now, as Thanksgiving approaches, stores everywhere are open starting at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.  Our national day to pause, pray and give thanks to the Lord has now become just an excuse to get bargain deals in time for Christmas.

SIGH!

As I reflect on that Thanksgiving, though, I remember more than just the adventure to the store.  Yes, that happened, and I still lament it, but I also realize that my father-in-law is no longer with us.  Not many years after that incident, we would spend our last Thanksgiving with him.  My wife's grandfather, who was too weak to help (and thus why I got drafted), isn't around anymore either.  We ate dinner that afternoon at the house of a couple who are now divorced.

We live in a world that is shakable.  All of the people and things in our lives can be gone in an instant.  It's why it's hard to be thankful sometimes.  We are trained to replace, discard and upgrade so much that very few things are precious anymore.

In Hebrews 12:28-29, the writer of Hebrews tells us to be thankful for the unshakable kingdom of Christ.  When people let us down, divorce rips apart a family, death takes our loved ones, finances drain us and world events make us uncertain about the future, we can still thank God for our unshakable kingdom.

This Thanksgiving, let us worship God with reverence and awe because he gives us an unshakable kingdom.  No Black Friday sale can ever encroach upon that.

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