Thanksgiving

This morning I grabbed a cup of coffee, and yes, I turned on Christmas music. I absolutely love Christmas and I begin the season far too early for most folks’ liking.

It’s an easy morning for me, I don’t have to do anything other than reflect on my blessings as my wonderful mother and father in-law are handling the daunting task of preparing our Thanksgiving feast. I would have recorded a video, but I still have bed hair. Additionally, my wife and I worked until 10pm last night so while my heart is praising the Lord this morning, I probably look physically disheveled.

Anyhow, since I have this extra time, I’d like to spend it in sharing this quick blog post with you about a Biblical giving of thanks. In chapter 12, Isaiah shares a prophecy about future songs of praise that the people of God will sing. These are not only songs of praise, but they are also songs of thanksgiving. Isaiah is taking about a day that the entire Jewish community was longing for. He was pointing to a day that couldn’t come soon enough for his people.

He says “I will praise you Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.” He goes on to write, “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted.”

This entire chapter is a wonderful song of a future giving of thanks and praise. It’s a future that we are living in right now, today, this very moment. If you have a spare 3 minutes today, I’d highly suggest reading and reflecting on this very short chapter which I’ll post below.

If we fast-forward from the time of Isaiah to the days of Paul I feel like we find a great place where Isaiah’s words plug right into the words of Paul in 2 Corinthians chapter 9. In chapter 9 we find that Paul is putting together a gathering for the Lord’s people whom are poor. After he writes about the ethics behind Godly giving, he writes this; “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

He goes on to write about how much of a true blessing these gifts are that he is gathering and then he makes a statement that is debated amongst Biblical scholars today. Paul uses a word that we won’t find anywhere else in the New Testament, but let me first paint the picture using Paul’s words.

Verse 13 to 15 reads like this; “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, others will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

There are 3 thoughts here.

1. Some think Paul was giving thanks for the fundraising effort.

2. Others think he was giving thanks for the unity of the effort.

3. Since the gift is indescribable, many think Paul is talking about the gift of Jesus.

So which of these is accurate. I’m not a renowned scholar, but I think the answer is, “YES!” The gift of Jesus that we give thanks for is in ALL things and we see Him in ALL things in this chapter. Those receiving the gifts are blessed by the generosity of others. Those giving the gifts are blessed by the prayers lifted to God above from those that have received them. The word that Paul uses here for “indescribable” might be best translated as “unutterable.” This word that Paul uses is not found anywhere else in the New Testament which would, of course, point to the gift of Jesus which points right back to the story.

The way in which the blessings of God are given are indescribable. Words can’t even describe how this works. Maybe the best word is simply “beautiful”.

Regardless of where you’re at today and regardless of how you feel, remember to offer thanksgiving for the indescribable, unutterable, and beautiful gift we all share in Jesus.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Drew

Isaiah 12

Songs of Praise

1In that day you will say:

“I will praise you, Lord.

Although you were angry with me,

your anger has turned away

and you have comforted me.

2 Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;

he has become my salvation.”

3 With joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.

4 In that day you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;

make known among the nations what he has done,

and proclaim that his name is exalted.

5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.

6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,

for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”