Today is a day we set aside to take a good look around us and be thankful. We probably should make every day Thanksgiving Day, but still it’s good to set this day apart to be more consciously thankful.
For many of us who no longer live close to the land or measure time by when we plant and harvest, Thanksgiving has all but been removed from its agricultural roots. Kids in school retell the stories of early European settlers surviving difficult times. Images of the bountiful harvest certainly convey the beauty and richness of the earth. But more important, a plentiful harvest meant the community could survive the harsh winter ahead. They would have enough to eat and not starve.
Our context may not be the plentiful harvest, but we can certainly say on this day that it’s been a long, hard journey through this Covid-19 pandemic. And yet through it all, we’re here. We’re going to make it, even as we mourn hundreds of thousands of lost lives. Even as we experience how we claw at each other and demonize one another and listen to all sorts of false prophets, we have hope that we’ll come through this. Maybe we can be more grateful for one another instead of critical.
We’ve been given so much and have learned so much in these challenging times. How can we not be grateful? Setting aside today as a Day of Thanksgiving is good, even if with fewer family members around the table but no less thankful. Consider praying Psalm 100, either with those gathered in your home or quietly by yourself. God is good, and faithful to all generations.
As we move closer to Advent we turn our eyes to the last and glorious things to come. Specifically, the glorious return of Jesus “coming in a cloud with power and great glory.” (Luke 21:20-28). What’s most interesting and helpful in this particular Gospel is the call we’re given to enter into His glorious return with our heads raised with much hope and confidence.
This is an important image to ponder. Try to imagine Jesus returning in all His splendor and glory. Try to imagine Him coming in the most awe-inspiring and magnificent of ways. The entire sky would be transformed as the angels of Heaven surround our Lord. All earthly powers would suddenly be taken over by Jesus. Every eye would be turned to Christ and everyone, whether they want to or not, would bow down before the glorious presence of the King of all Kings!
This reality will take place. It’s just a matter of time. Jesus will, indeed, return and all will be made new. The question is this: Will we be ready? Will this day take us by surprise? If it were to happen today, what would our reaction be? Would we be fearful and suddenly realize we should have repented of certain sins? Would we immediately have certain regrets as we realize it’s now too late to change our life in the way our Lord desires? Or will we be one of those who stands erect with our head raised as we joyfully and confidently rejoice in the glorious return of our Lord?
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