Happy Thanksgiving & for Some of You, Hang in There. by Nathan Leal

It’s that time again folks; the time that gives us the annual four-day weekend where men throughout America sit on the couch and watch college football.

…and where family chefs work laboriously on the meal of the year.

It is the annual ritual that fills houses with the excitement of family and friends reunited. And for some, it is a yearly chore that is dreaded, tolerated, and endured.

It is a most interesting event where the family dinner table utilizes its extensions and becomes decorated with a full course meal, and populated with seating that is filled to overflowing.

If the table could talk, what would it tell us?

We would be told that its guests were varied in the song of their hearts. We would be told that at the table there were some who were joyful sitting next to others who were oppressed.

 

We would be told how;

… the delightful ones broke bread with the hateful ones.

… the loving ones peacefully ate their meal with those who are bitter.

… the smiling ones offered thanks next to the scowling ones.

… those who are forgiven consumed their meal with those who are condemned.

… the righteous ones sat alongside those who are darkened with evil.

… those with words of life sat alongside those with words of death.

… those who spoke peace ate alongside those who desired to wave a fist.

… those who looked to the future sat alongside those who cannot forget the past.

… those who seek reconciliation sat next to those who refuse to forgive.

… those who seek healing sat next to those who seek to remind.

… those who bring warmth sat among those with a cold stone.

… those who offered a hug sat next to those with a squint and a sneer.

… those who said grace sat by those who said nothing.

Thanksgiving is here.

If you love the Lord, give thanks.

If He lives within you, give thanks.

If He is your hope, give thanks.

If you are in the midst of a trial, give thanks.

If you must endure difficult family members or friends, give thanks.

If enduring your relatives is a challenge, give thanks for the chance to bear fruit.

If this is a rare occasion both good and bad, give thanks.

If this is your last Thanksgiving, give thanks.

And my friends, what if? What if this is to be your last Thanksgiving? Most of us do not know that. But what if one did know?

 

Whatever the situation, give thanks.

Give thanks for the times that you have had with your loved ones.

Give thanks for the future that still remains with your loved ones.

If you are struggling, give thanks that tomorrow is a new day.

If you are in a season of victory and calm, give thanks for the green pastures.

If you are walking through a storm, give thanks that He is there to see you through.

If you are alone, give thanks that you can focus and spend time with Him.

Whatever your situation is, my friend, give thanks, for His mercy towards us is great. 

“In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Happy Thanksgiving.

In His Service,
Nathan Leal
Watchman’s Cry

 

Website link for this article:

http://watchmanscry.com/?p=5059