That Time of Year Again

Thanksgiving then Christmas, it’s that time of year again!

The holidays are here.

Dreadful!  Some would say.

Fancy wrappings, holiday trimmings, season’s greetings, family gatherings, gift shopping, mall hopping, food stuffing, choirs singing, ears ringing, kids clinging, families flying, siblings crying, mothers sighing.  Overkill!

It’s just too much.  Some would say.

Why bother, what’s the big deal?  Some would ask.

Well, if the rains didn’t come, we’d have no drink; if crops didn’t grow, we’d have naught to eat?

Gods we are not.  We have no control over the seasons.  Rain, drought, earthquakes, hurricanes, snow, winter, summer, fall, or spring is beyond our doing.  We plant and we wait.  It is God who causes the growth.  And so, we are Thankful.

We are dependent.  And we are Thankful.

Oh God, do send us the rain.  Grow our crops.  Fill our baskets, feed us.  Give us this day our daily bread.  And we are Thankful.

Have we earned it?  Do we deserve it?  Are we entitled, is it our right, our privilege?  No Lord, we have not.  And so, we are Thankful.

What’s that?  Innocent, pure, holy, righteous, us?!  No, we must confess.

Pride, injustice, oppression, greed, selfishness, anger, hatred, spite, faithless and unfaithful; yes Lord, that’s us.  Guilty as charged.  We have wronged and have been wronged.  We have lied, cheated and coveted.  We have even murdered in our hearts.  This we confess.

Can you, will you, do you, forgive us?

YES!  And we are Thankful.

The angel said to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called son of God.”  (Luke 1:35)  And the angels said to the shepherds, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.”  (Luke 2:10-11)

And when Jesus came to Nazareth he went to the synagogue and stood up to read: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”  (Luke 4:16-19)

And for this we are Thankful!