Dear Trekker,
Welcome to the closeout of another year! The seemingly endless calendar of time (a gentle reminder that time does not pass by, we do) has hit the annual home stretch once again… the holiday season! During a six week or so period beginning with Thanksgiving and ending with each New Year’s celebrations, one word surely captures our spirit (or should) – gratitude! As the lyrics say so well, “Give thanks with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One!” for He has given us His Son!
Our family and friends here in Colorado Springs enjoyed another Thanksgiving feast with our son and his wife. Seeking to pass on to the next generation the core values and history of the past, our son outlined for all the arrival of our Pilgrim forefathers in search of a homeland where they could freely worship and serve God. “Thanks” to God for His preservation and provision filled the hearts of the Pilgrims in 1621. We also read George Washington’s first Thanksgiving proclamation (1789), “a day to be devoted by the people of these United States… that we then may all unite unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country.”
If there is a segue, a transition, a theme of this “holiday season”, it can only be gratitude… looking back and looking forward. We call it the “advent” season. The Greek word is parousia and is most often associated with Jesus’ promised second coming. But it can also mean “visit or arrival.” Oh that we would celebrate his “first” coming this year with an even greater expectation, hope, and excitement looking forward to His “second” coming. He is coming yet again… we do not know when… but our Christmas celebration should be a major part of our conscious readiness for His return. As believers, we know and celebrate that which has come. And… we live today in the moment-by-moment knowledge that Christ is present through the Holy Spirit within us, and is active in the world. Yet we await Christ’s coming… with gratitude for the past and His presence now. Gratitude is surely to be the heart of our living! From Adam to Joseph the world lay in waiting for His arrival. From His first advent until His promised second coming, the world awaits again.
The Scriptures are full of praise and thanksgiving, the essence of gratitude. The Psalmist says… “that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever.” (Psalm 30:12) As I write my mind is filled with gratitude for the challenge of Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word (character) of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do (always, but this holiday season particularly), whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him (Jesus). (Colossians 3:15-17)
I love friend wife using age as an acronym… an attitude of gratitude in everything! What a theme for all God has done! What an aura for this holiday celebration! What a blessing is the ability to express gratitude! Friend wife lives it so wonderfully.
Gratitude has its own rewards. People living in gratitude think positively about life and others. This can-do attitude is infectious. We truly are blessed to bless… and a spirit of praise and thankfulness enables us to do so. This is the underlying theme of the Colossians admonition. When our hearts are filled to overflowing with gratitude, we become different people. As we appreciate and praise God for what He has done… so loved He the world He gave us His Son… we are prepared to share with and care for others. We can walk in their shoes, seek to see into their hearts, feel their heartaches and love them with the hands and healing of Christ.
In a few days the cards of Christmas and the joy of celebrating Jesus’ human birth will pass, and another year will be upon us. And the church calendar of liturgy begins anew as do we, in a spirit of gratitude for yet another year to await His coming. We again in the New Year have the opportunity to live a life of faithful gratitude, in humility and expectation.
So as we conclude yet another calendar year of our lives (and another year ticking away His second advent), let us live out His presence in all our relationships, as surely as “He is with us always, till the end of the age” (or end of our age, whichever comes first). Matthew 28:20b. May we learn to submit with gratitude and humility as did Mary, Luke 1: 38. Oh how I love this account of Mary’s encounter with the angel Gabriel! Surely the words, “Be it unto me as you have said.” are some of the most riveting, responsive words man or woman could ever utter in response to God’s call. May we in gratitude these next few days and into the New Year, dream with Joseph (Matthew 1:18-25, 2:13-15, 2:19-23), leap with John (Luke 1:38-45), sing with the angels (Luke 2:8-14), wonder with the shepherds (Luke 2:8, 15-20), worship with the wise men (Matthew 2:1-12), and “wait” to be with Him, forever (Revelation 22).
Trekker, gratitude is the hymn of our praise, the key to the Kingdom, the segue of recorded history in Scripture. May we sing with Mary… “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior… His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation.” This paean of praise by Mary is for us, you and me, trekker. Let’s love it, live it and lay it out respectfully to others, this month and throughout the New Year and every year until He comes again. If we do, we are sure to age gracefully. Oh, for an attitude of gratitude.
Your grateful friend and brother,
Jim Meredith
