On Halloween, which was on a Sunday this year, a friend and I were making an impromptu run to Wal-Mart between church services. As we were walking in, my friend saw the huge Christmas tree Wal- Mart had put up in front of the main aisle. My friend said, "No, tell me it ain't so, Halloween isn't even over yet and they have started putting out Christmas decorations!". I kinda laughed to myself at his statement, but then had this thought. Thanksgiving: The Forgotten Holiday.
It seems as though every year stores begin to put out Christmas items earlier and earlier. It even seemed to me that this year was the first time they were put out even before Halloween had come and gone. We are used to the idea of the world trying to take Christ out of Christmas and certain media outlets and stores saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", but we have never noticed that there is not much said about Thanksgiving. Don't get me wrong, I know there are few Thanksgiving specials and things of that nature, but usually they are not seen until maybe a week before the holiday. I noticed that even though there are a lot of fall decorations, I have not seen much specifically Thanksgiving themed and again the Christmas decorations that are always available before.
Today being Thanksgiving, I know that most people are readying themselves to see family and friends and eat all the wonderful food that will be prepared. I know that my title may even seem a bit odd for an article on this very day, but if you know me, you know there is more to be seen. So, with that said, here it is. Why Thanksgiving?
Beyond what we traditionally know as Thanksgiving holiday and this nations history and the why and how Thanksgiving became a holiday, Why be thankful and to whom? Even though it is seldom said, we usually go with the knowledge that we are giving thanks to God for the blessings he has given us. We are thankful for our families, for our jobs, our homes, our friends, etc., but we often forget things that we are so used to that we do not think about them.
Take a moment and go get a mirror or go stand in front of one. Now, look at yourself. Don't do a quick look, take a few moments and pay attention to your features. Your hair, your eyes, your skin, your shape ( don't get depressed, I could lose a few to ). Take a few moments and just notice yourself. Now consider this, God created what you are looking at. Down to the most minuscule detail of you, God created you. When God created you, He broke the mold. Oh, there are people in the world who will look like you and favor your characteristics, but even identical twins are not 100% to most minute detail identical. When God created you He had a purpose for you. I don't know what your purpose may be but I know God wouldn't have created you without one.
Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."
God had our purpose and plans settled before we were even born. The knowledge of that should be enough to settle in us any doubts and fears that we have about who we are and where we should be going. You may not know specifically what, but you do know there is. This is one thing we can be thankful for. That we were created special and have a special purpose.
Giving thanks to God for everything is vital. It makes us feel good when do something that helps someone else and they show and express their gratitude. We get an emotion boost and we feel love and approval. God is not devoid of emotion or need. It was God who gave us our emotions.
Hebrews 13:15,16 "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
To give or offer thanks to God pleases Him. It is a sacrifice for us because our carnal natures do not want to do it. Giving thanks to God shows Him our love and acceptance of Him as our God and Jesus as our Lord.
In our holiday festivities, I encourage you to pull away by yourself for a few moments and give God your true expression of thanks. Thank Him for His many blessings to you and for the blessing of you and let us not make Thanksgiving the forgotten holiday.
In Christ,
Kevin
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Saturday, October 30, 2010
The Wisdom Of Walnut Grove
I never really used to watch Little House On The Prairie a whole lot when I was younger, but I never disliked it. My wife used to watch it and had introduced it to our daughters who now love the show, too. In watching with my family I have regained a like for the show.
Based upon the true life story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House On The Prairie takes you back to life in a small town of Walnut Grove in the 1800s. Simple, yet not without hardships.
The Ingall's time and again would show us happiness, sadness, fear, and Christian resolve. In a particular episode there was an elderly man who lived alone in a big house. The house looked old and run down as he had not taken care of it for years. Laura and some other children thought the house was haunted and the old man was a maniac. After being teased about being afraid of going up to the house an touching it, Laura finds herself inside the house and face to face with the old man. Eventually, Laura befriends the old man and learns why he has lived alone all those years. The old man's wife had passed away some years before and in his grief he had chosen to believe she was still alive and living in the city. Once Laura had discovered that the old man's wife was dead, her heart went out to him. Laura began reading her bible and found a verse that she knew would help the old man.
" Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25,26
Through the compassion of a child and acceptance of the Word of God, the old man believed in Jesus and and was healed of his grief.
Jesus said that he is the resurrection and the life. When we are born into this life we are born into the sin and death of this world. God never intended for it to be that way, but he made the way of redemption. When we believe in and receive Jesus as our savior we are redeemed and resurrected from the sin and death of the world. That does not mean that we no longer give ourselves over to sin and death. Our spirits have been redeemed and made righteous, our flesh and carnal desires are a daily battle.
In another episode Mary, Laura's older sister, was asked to come and teach children in a remote settlement. While there an older woman, who had gained prominence for reciting biblical verses and supposedly could call down lightning from heaven, called Mary a Jezebel and had the people make her leave.
Mary hurt and upset began talking to her father about the situation. Mary knew that she had been lied about and knew what was going on. A good thing had been destroyed because of a misguided woman's fear. The children were learning and would gain knowledge and understanding that she (the woman) did not have. In talking to her father Mary reached a resolve. Charles, Mary's father didn't have to say much, he just listened. Mary went back to the settlement and confronted the woman publicly in front of the people. She stood in the face of her accuser and spoke the Word which she had read and memorized. The woman could only speak what she had heard and when challenged to find it and read it from the Bible she couldn't. At the end of the confrontation Mary was absolved of the accusations against her and in compassion offered her hand to the woman in forgiveness.
When facing life's struggles and difficult situations, the first thing we should do is take it to God our Father. He already knows the situation and often will just listen and drop in your heart the answer. We often must stand in the face of our accuser, Satan, and speak the Word of God. He too knows the Word, but will only twist and pervert it for his purpose.
Jesus in his humanity prayed to God and asked that the cup of his sacrifice pass from him. In other words, the human part of Jesus was afraid and did not want to face what was coming, but the God part of Jesus, the part that knew his mission, accepted what had to be done. It was love and compassion that drove Jesus to the cross. Love and compassion for a lost and dying people. God's creation that had rebelled and had lost understanding of their creator.
We must strive to know God and know His word. Building not only knowledge but love and understanding and compassion. That is the Wisdom Of Walnut Grove.
In Christ, Kevin
Based upon the true life story of Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House On The Prairie takes you back to life in a small town of Walnut Grove in the 1800s. Simple, yet not without hardships.
The Ingall's time and again would show us happiness, sadness, fear, and Christian resolve. In a particular episode there was an elderly man who lived alone in a big house. The house looked old and run down as he had not taken care of it for years. Laura and some other children thought the house was haunted and the old man was a maniac. After being teased about being afraid of going up to the house an touching it, Laura finds herself inside the house and face to face with the old man. Eventually, Laura befriends the old man and learns why he has lived alone all those years. The old man's wife had passed away some years before and in his grief he had chosen to believe she was still alive and living in the city. Once Laura had discovered that the old man's wife was dead, her heart went out to him. Laura began reading her bible and found a verse that she knew would help the old man.
" Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? John 11:25,26
Through the compassion of a child and acceptance of the Word of God, the old man believed in Jesus and and was healed of his grief.
Jesus said that he is the resurrection and the life. When we are born into this life we are born into the sin and death of this world. God never intended for it to be that way, but he made the way of redemption. When we believe in and receive Jesus as our savior we are redeemed and resurrected from the sin and death of the world. That does not mean that we no longer give ourselves over to sin and death. Our spirits have been redeemed and made righteous, our flesh and carnal desires are a daily battle.
In another episode Mary, Laura's older sister, was asked to come and teach children in a remote settlement. While there an older woman, who had gained prominence for reciting biblical verses and supposedly could call down lightning from heaven, called Mary a Jezebel and had the people make her leave.
Mary hurt and upset began talking to her father about the situation. Mary knew that she had been lied about and knew what was going on. A good thing had been destroyed because of a misguided woman's fear. The children were learning and would gain knowledge and understanding that she (the woman) did not have. In talking to her father Mary reached a resolve. Charles, Mary's father didn't have to say much, he just listened. Mary went back to the settlement and confronted the woman publicly in front of the people. She stood in the face of her accuser and spoke the Word which she had read and memorized. The woman could only speak what she had heard and when challenged to find it and read it from the Bible she couldn't. At the end of the confrontation Mary was absolved of the accusations against her and in compassion offered her hand to the woman in forgiveness.
When facing life's struggles and difficult situations, the first thing we should do is take it to God our Father. He already knows the situation and often will just listen and drop in your heart the answer. We often must stand in the face of our accuser, Satan, and speak the Word of God. He too knows the Word, but will only twist and pervert it for his purpose.
Jesus in his humanity prayed to God and asked that the cup of his sacrifice pass from him. In other words, the human part of Jesus was afraid and did not want to face what was coming, but the God part of Jesus, the part that knew his mission, accepted what had to be done. It was love and compassion that drove Jesus to the cross. Love and compassion for a lost and dying people. God's creation that had rebelled and had lost understanding of their creator.
We must strive to know God and know His word. Building not only knowledge but love and understanding and compassion. That is the Wisdom Of Walnut Grove.
In Christ, Kevin
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