First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. -1 Timothy 2:1-4
Turkey Day is coming! Where are you going for Thanksgiving? Planes, trains, and automobiles will soon take us away or bring those far away toward us. Thanksgiving is marked with enormous sizes of food. Thanksgiving food is often worked off through football
and 5Ks galore. The specter of Christmas hangs over the day as crowds prepare for Black Friday. For all the tradition, Thanksgiving does not get the fanfare that Christmas and Halloween seem to get. Frankly, Halloween and Christmas have been thoroughly commercialized; a fate Thanksgiving has escaped so far. So many people don’t know what to do with Thanksgiving. It is my prayer that we would discover the deeper meaning and God given purpose of Thanksgiving.
Paul has just sent the young pastor Timothy to the church of Ephesus. His instructions are the book of 1 Timothy. While there is a lot we could mine out from this book, what is notable is item number 1 on Timothy’s to-do list from Paul. Number 1, first thing first, “I urge that supplications, prayers, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” In summary, Paul says the first thing we ought to do when we encounter a different or new situation is to give thanks to God
How beautiful is it that we have an entire holiday dedicated to this very thing!
In between the sugar-crazed frenzies of Halloween and the rush and crush of Black Friday, Thanksgiving stands as a sacred pillar of our obligation to thank God.
First things first, we ought to thank God for all he has given us. The catechism reminds us that spouse, house, home, children, family, friends, reputation, land, animals, and all we have are gifts from God!
First things first, we are called to pray in thanksgiving with other people. “Let us not give up meeting together as is the habit of some,” the author of the Hebrews warns in 10:25.
First things first, we are called to pray for “kings and those in high positions” (1 Timothy 2:2). Our thoughts this election season must travel from “who should I vote for,” to “Jesus, help this person do their job,” on the day after.
Finally, God desires all people to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. We give thanks for the salvation we have received through Jesus. We also readily give thanks for others that they too might enjoy life with God.
Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving.
In Jesus’ Service,
Pastor Kurt Hellwig