Giving Thanks
In this “Year of Loss,” a term I like to use to reference all that is happening in 2020, it is easy to focus on all that is negative in this world. The pile is high and seems to be getting higher every day.
However, I recently had the opportunity to visit with a gentleman who helped to change my perspective, if only for a day. You see, this man has endured a lot in his life. His journey has been one of both blessings and struggles. One could look at all that he has suffered over the course of his life-- the loss of his mom and a child, divorce, and racism--and no one would blame him for looking at life from a very negative perspective.
But as we visited, he explained to me how God had blessed him continually over the years. He reminded me that God’s blessing far outweighs the loss in his life and during this year. He doesn’t have a lot, but what he does have he shares with family and friends in need. He shares the love of God liberally in every aspect of his life. And that inexhaustible supply of love is what eventually brought him to tears. It led him to tell me how thankful he is for all that God has done in his life to bless him, his marriage, and his family.
Each Sunday, we are encouraged to worship God together. We call it Holy Eucharist. Literally, in breaking down the meaning of these words from their Greek origin, it is a “set apart" (Holy) "thanksgiving" (Eucharist). As Christians, we are all called to set aside time explicitly to give thanks to God for the blessings we have received. We have this reminder that we are still blessed by God each and every day amid our year of loss. May we be on the lookout for those blessings that arrive in droves, whether we recognize them or allow them to go unnoticed.
Philippians 4:19
In Christ,
Ripp