This week is a bit odd for me. Part of my work time has been
about preparing for the Thanksgiving Eve service on Wednesday night and part of
it has been about getting ready for Sunday and the start of new series from
John 1 for Advent. Yet I have also been asked to take part in a discussion
about physician assisted suicide, and probably like many of you, I was deeply
saddened to hear the protests in Ferguson turned destructive. We are living in
a context that is dark, which means distress and gloom of anguish are around
us. That is a very sad and even disturbing thought, especially as we prepare
for Thanksgiving and anticipate Christmas. And yet, maybe that thought brings
Thanksgiving and Christmas into focus. The Lord Jesus did not come to earth
because everything was rosy and bright. He came because we desperately need Him
to be the Light of the world. Our world needs the reality of Christmas.
But what about Thanksgiving? 1 Thessalonians 5:18 states, “give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you.” How can we give thanks when businesses are burning and people are
looting? Please note carefully that we are not called to give thanks for all
circumstances, but rather in all circumstances. How can we do that? Perhaps Christmas,
the coming of the Lord Jesus can be the spark for our giving of thanks. Even
though circumstances are not great, the steadfast love of the Lord never
ceases. He sent His Son for us, and part of the Son coming, dying, rising
again, and returning to heaven leads to His soon return to earth to put all
things in subjection (1 Corinthians 15:24-28). We can give thanks because God’s
past actions on behalf of His people provide confident hope that He will
complete His plan and as Revelation 22:5 tells us, night will be no more.
Darkness and that all comes with darkness will be done. The Lord God will our
light. Let us give thanks because the God of Christmas calls us out of darkness
and into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
