Ron's Reflections
GIVE THANKS
While our nation celebrates Thanksgiving one day each year in November, as Christians, every day is a day to give thanks to our great God who is faithful and gracious. My encouragement is for us to continue to cultivate a heart of thanksgiving, so that we can say with the psalmist,
The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him. (Psalm 28:7)
In addition to our everyday gratitude to God, it is appropriate to set aside special times to offer our thanks to God. This brings us back to our national holiday and how we can keep its focus on God. Last year was the first year in my time at Parkway that we held our own Thanksgiving Eve service. Prior to that, we joined together with several other churches in the area for an ecumenical worship service. While that was a good experience, the timing was right for a change. Our worship service last year was an informal time of singing, praising, sharing, praying and scripture reading. There was no sermon. There was no bulletin with a set order. While I had a general plan, the service really took shape through the participation of all who were present. My goal was for us to fulfill Ephesians 5:18-20.
Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with all your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That will be our goal again this year at our Thanksgiving Eve service. Come with scripture to share, an experience or story of God’s faithfulness to encourage one another, and/or a song for us to lift up our hearts and voices to God. Invite a friend or two!
Giving thanks to God with you, Pastor Ron
|
