THANKSGIVING

Dr. Richard J. Henderson November 23, 2008

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Ephesians 1:15-23
Psalm 100 (unison)

Introduction

I want to begin today by reading Abraham Lincoln's original Thanksgiving proclamation. In reading it over again, it strikes me as appropriate to read this declaration every year at Thanksgiving. It is, in many ways, a surprising statement.

Many aspects of this document that Lincoln took for granted, we now find controversial. I don't believe a U. S. president could make this statement today without causing controversy in Washington - and without being harshly warned by his advisors not to do it. Please listen to what Lincoln said. (Read the thanksgiving proclamation.)

I

Lincoln's statement reminds us that it's important to have a day when everyone stops their busy-ness and takes time to be thankful for the blessings we've received. Yes, we realize every day what we have and probably most of us say short prayers of thanks all through the day. Those daily thanks are important, but I also think that a full day to stop and reflect on the goodness of our lives and celebrate thanks to God with family and friends is crucial.

One of the things that the recent economic downturn has reminded us of is how much we have to be thankful for. Often we take what we have for granted. Part of having the rug pulled out from under us, economically, is that we don't take what we have for granted. We realize that it can go away.

When we see how most of the rest of the world lives, it humbles us that we have so much. For example, we take for granted clean water from the faucet. It is so accessible and it's practically free. Most people in the world have to walk a long way to get to water - and then it may be contaminated. Cheap, clean water is an impossible dream for a lot of people in the world.

A professor from Utah State University summarized what our world is like by reducing proportionately the world's six billion people to one hundred people. If the world's population were 100 people, 57 would be Asian, 21 European; 14 would live in North or South America, and 8 would be African. 70 of the 100 would not be white.

Fifty percent of all the wealth in the world would belong to six U. S. citizens. Seventy wouldn't be able to read; fifty would be malnourished; eighty would live in sub-standard housing; and one would have a college education.

We are the privileged people of the world.

II

But, Thanksgiving isn't just about being thankful for the material things we have. Maybe we are most thankful for the people in our lives - friends and family and people who care about and for us. We especially enjoy gathering with family and friends at Thanksgiving.

We are also thankful to be part of a community of people who believe in the same things and who support each other. We are glad to belong, to be involved in a group of people who care for each other. Today much of our thanks is for our church family - for the freedom to worship together, to learn about our faith, to encourage and listen to and help each other. We are grateful for relationships.

III

The celebration of Thanksgiving raises the question, who are you thankful to? The holiday assumes someone to thank since saying "Thank you" indicates someone who receives the gratitude. Lincoln was very clear who Thanksgiving is directed toward. The holiday was "a day of thanksgiving and prayer to our beneficent Father, who dwelleth in the heavens."

For some in contemporary America Thanksgiving raises an awkward question. If you don't believe in a loving God, who do you thank? How do you say "Thank you" to a void, to nothing? Can you thank good fortune or circumstance? How do you thank coincidence?

I've always thought one of the terrible things about being an atheist is that you don't have anyone to thank. How do you say "thank you" for the parts of life that matter the most?

IV

Giving thanks also includes reflecting on ourselves and our nation. One of the fascinating aspects of Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation is that he not only proclaims a day of Thanksgiving, but he calls our whole nation to confess our sins. Lincoln asks Americas to pray our prayers of thanks "with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience."

Can you imagine a president in our day confessing that we have been perverse and disobedient? Our leaders are too wrapped up in defending their policies and justifying the wars they have initiated to offer a hint that these actions may be an affront to God, or that they violate God's will.

Lincoln led us through the Civil War, always aware that it was offensive to God and praying for forgiveness for what he felt was a necessary evil. What leader in our day would have that courage? Our leaders won't even admit to making any mistake. Lincoln was above that; he was a strong, forceful, and yet humble leader.

Conclusion

We come to Thanksgiving with humility, realizing how much we have to be thankful for and how many people we need to thank. But we are especially thankful to the God who created the world and our lives. We give thanks to the One who made sacrifices for you and me because of his great, intimate love for us.

We have been given amazing blessings. Thanks be to God!

Amen

© Richard J. Henderson 2008