Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”  Psalm 69:30

This must be the most unusual Thanksgiving Day that any of us have ever celebrated.  Several state governors are giving orders that only so many people can be allowed into someone’s home to share a Thanksgiving turkey, watch the football game, and fellowship with one another.  Some say that everyone must wear a mask between bites.  Others are forbidding an inside meal, thus everyone must eat outdoors and stay six feet away from each other.  That won’t be too difficult for those who live in Florida or Southern California, but what about those in Minnesota or Maine?  Might it get just a wee bit cold?  One governor even wants neighbors to “rat out” any residence that doesn’t abide by the strict rules, and has threatened to fine and jail folks for violating her orders.  These are not rumors or right wing conspiracies.  I saw the videos of these governors on television arrogantly making their demands.  While it is important to follow reasonable safety guidelines and use common sense, these leaders are attempting to exercise control over their constituents that they have no right to do.  Many of them have violated their own orders.  It is that old “do as I say, not as I do” behavior.  There is a word for that, and it begins with the letter H.

Next, they will tell people how many can go to church or demand the churches close all together.  That was done in several states a few months ago, and has already been ordered again, particularly by the governor of California.  There is even talk of making the keeping of churches open a criminal offense.  While I believe that some of these leaders are not followers of Jesus Christ based on their actions, they likely do not know that to fight against God is a really big exercise in futility.  In Acts 5:29-40, the Apostle Peter and some of the other Apostles had been forced to appear in court because they had refused to obey the order of the high priest to stop preaching about Jesus.  One of the Pharisees, Gamaliel, stood to make a point:  “Let these men alone.  If the works of these men are merely human efforts, it will come to nothing.  But if it be of God, you will never stop it.  Any attempt will be seen as fighting against God” (paraphrased).  Many on talk radio, conservative websites, and conservative cable news programs are claiming that the agenda of the political far left is to remove God from all facets of American life, and I believe they are correct in their view.  The leftists should read what Gamaliel told the court, but since these folks seem not to care about what God thinks, they will continue to plunder through with their socialist, godless agenda.  The Bible warns us what it will be like in the last days.  Christian persecution has already begun, and it will only get worse.  I can only imagine what rules these leaders (and I use that label loosely) will try to order at Christmas.

Regardless if we are truly in the last days with the return of Christ not that far off or whether God delays the coming of Christ by many, many years, God is still on His throne, and we are still to praise Him in worship and song and to magnify Him with our expressions of gratitude for His love and mercy.  The story has always been told about the first Thanksgiving as a celebration of the good harvest by the pilgrims and their gratitude to the Indians for teaching them about planting corn and such.  I am sure that they did thank the Native Americans for their help, but the pilgrims were even more grateful to God for His guidance, protection, and provision.  After all, it was the freedom to worship that caused them to leave their home countries and find a new land where they could serve and honor God in the way they saw fit.  Thanksgiving Day was first recognized as a national holiday by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1942.  Since then, it has become somewhat commercialized, like Christmas, known as “Turkey Day” when people gorge themselves on all the tasty food on the table and then lounge in front of the television watching football.   There is absolutely nothing wrong with any of that, but I wonder how many actually offer thanks to the Lord for His blessings.  No one should ever sit down to eat at any time without offering up sincere thanks to the Lord.  It is rather presumptuous to enjoy a meal without thanking the One who provided it.

So I hope all of you have a blessed and enjoyable Thanksgiving Day even if you can’t be with all those with whom you normally gather.  For me, I haven’t seen my grandchildren in person for one and a half years.  That stinks.  At least we have Skype.  It is not as good as being together in person, but with all the social distancing that we have been enduring, we are somewhat getting used to it.  We don’t like it, but it is what it is, at least for now.  Let’s all pray that this pandemic goes the way of the VCR and/or the 8 track and soon!  Don’t forget to “praise God from Whom all blessings flow” and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!