Thankful, Grateful, Joyful, Amen! Psalm 100; Phil. 4: 4-9
A good friend and I were talking about Thanksgiving traditions. His family had a rather heartwarming yearly get together every Thanksgiving. They would gather together around the table…the whole family…altogether in one big sitting and enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving meal together…of Red Lobster. To say I was puzzled by this choice is a mild understatement. I guess our coastal ancestors could have had some seafood in addition to the traditional fare I think of, and I’ve heard of oyster dressing. But when it comes to traditional Thanksgiving meal, cheddar biscuits and the Admiral’s Special Feast with a two for one on shrimp scampi is not what I imagine. Though don’t get me wrong, but for the grace of God there go I for a cheddar biscuit or 50.
But there was a particular part of their tradition that really caught my attention, yes, more so than the creative restaurant choice. The head of the table says, “Thankful!” and they all repeat, “Thankful!” Then they talk about why they are thankful this past year. Then the word “Grateful!” is repeated in this call and response with discussion about why all assembled are grateful. Then finally, after the meal is done, they finish with the word “Joyful” all spoken together. They share dessert and talk about what is joyful in their lives. The dinner is concluded with the old, familiar, “Amen.” Thankful, grateful, joyful, amen. So, let’s try repeating each one in the same way together…thankful//grateful//joyful.
What are we thankful for? Now thankful and grateful are a bit interchangeable, but let’s go with the definition of thankful which says it’s a hopeful relief. Philippians 4:6 tells us, “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything.” The result is God’s peace. I think we can be thankful this season for a God that lets us cast our cares and concerns on the mighty strength and wisdom that God provides. We can be thankful for, or find this sense of relief, in the knowledge that when we go to God, we go to the Prince of Peace.
In a troubled and difficult world, that has to be important to us. We live in a time of high costs, an undercurrent of worry, and an ever-changing landscape of life. Nations rattle the sabers of war, and life sometimes seems to move faster than we can keep up with. As the hymn says, “Hold to God’s unchanging hand.” We need the surety of a God whose promises and hope dos not change or abandon us in this life. Life changes, but God’s power to guide us through does not, and for that, we can give thanks to God.
What are we grateful for? To contrast with thankful, let’s define grateful as showing appreciating for something. Philippians 4:9 says, “Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.” When we are grateful, it should spur us to act. If someone is grateful for the blessings of life, that gratefulness should encourage them to share the blessings and bring hope to others. Paul was grateful for all that Christ had done, and so he dedicated every gift and skill to the glory of Christ. He encourages others to do the same. Follow my lead, he tells them. Put your faith and your gratefulness into practice.
Being thankful should encourage us to give glory to God. Being grateful should encourage us to share the glory of God with those around us. Together these two things make a powerful testimony of our faith and hope in the God who loves and redeems us, and who gives us all the grace we need to face the ever-changing life and world around us. Thanksgiving, though, should give us all three that my friend’s family celebrated: thankful, grateful, and joyful.
What joyful things do we celebrate in life? The Psalm tells us to “shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!” Then we are told that “the Lord is good, [and God’s] unfailing love continues forever.” Joy can be hard to find especially in the colder, darker months of the year. I think of the joke I saw where, after the time change, the woman is running around yelling that it’s so dark, could it be midnight? The guy says, “Nope, it’s 5:00 PM.”
Joy is not always right there. Sometimes, we have to go looking for it in the dark. But we know, in our faith, that where God is, there is joy. In those times of struggle and darkness, we can go back to those words which remind us that God is good, and that God’s love never fails, and neither does God’s faithfulness run out. Our patience fails. Our ability to handle a messy day may fail. Our kindness and gentleness may sometimes get a little sharp. But God’s love never fails, and God’s faithfulness will continue for each and every generation of life. In those reminders and promises, we can find blessings which bring us joy. We can be thankful, grateful, and even joyful for God’s blessings.
You know, I was skeptical of my friend’s Red Lobster Thanksgiving Extravaganza. I poked a bit of fun at it. But only later did I learn that his great grandmother and family lived on the southeast coast of Georgia. They grew up with fresh seafood, rice, and other home-cooked and warmly spiced dishes made with love and care from Gullah-Geechee and Creole ancestors. His family now lives in small town Middle Tennessee, and they can no longer access fresh, coastal foods.
But coming from a long line of family tradition they still gather together each year and honor the memories, foods, and traditions of their family and ancestors. They celebrate all that they’re thankful for, grateful for, and joyful for in life. I encourage you to take a note from their tradition. Your bulletins have a small insert with these three things: thankful, grateful, and joyful. Take a moment this Thanksgiving to write down what comes to mind and give thanks for your blessings.
Sometimes, when dark and negative things seem to overwhelm us, we need to reorient our thoughts to God’s amazing promises and love for us. Thanksgiving is a time when we take measure and give thanks for our blessings, and when we count what makes us grateful, thankful and joyful, whether at home with the traditional fare, or whether gathered around our favorite Asian food, Mexican food, or even Thanksgiving at Red Lobster. So, like my friend’s family, let’s join together in celebration of our blessings and say them out loud. Join with me… “Thankful!” “Grateful!” “Joyful!” … Amen.
Video: https://www.facebook.com/fccmacon/videos/1167805563822231