November 2003

A Time for Thanksgiving!!

by Rev. Nathan Meador

As we turn again to the month of Thanksgiving, it is a grand time for me. There is much for me to be thankful for. The lives of the Meadors have changed since the last time we sat down for turkey and all the trimmings. For starters, there is another one of us at the table. (OK, he may not be eating turkey this year, but he's at the table.) Then there is the fact that our table is in a different place. The transition to ministry here at Zion has been a good one. We have had a few bumps, but my enthusiam for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and my desire to partner with you in sharing that Gospel are even stronger today than when I arrived. God truly has blessed me with a loving wife, great kids, and a congregation who cares for me as I care for them. There will be some fervent prayers of thanksgiving at our table this year.

Every one of us has been truly blessed. Even if our health is failing, our financial situation is precarious, our emotional stability is shaky or faith seems wobbly, we all have some great things to be thankful for this year. Every one of us, if we have nothing else, can sit down to the table and rejoice that we are redeemed children of God. It was for each one, you and me, that Christ went to the cross so that we could have something for which to be thankful. Without Christ, we would not be able to be thankful for anything. With Him, we can be thankful in every situation.

Our thankfulness is something that should go beyond the fourth Thursday in November. Our Thanksgiving should be every day. It is every day that we live under the grace of God. It is every day that we can open the Scriptures and be confronted and consoled by the Word of God. So, if we have access to God every day, our Thanksgiving should run on the same schedule. And it can.

Our Thanksgiving is tied directly to our stewardship. And this has so much more to deal with than money. Our Thanksgiving is lived out when we set aside time for God in worship, devotion, and prayer.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdon, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

Our thanksgiving is lived out when we pray for and are open to opportunities to share the Gospel with our families, friends and co-workers.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (1 Peter 3:15)

Our thanksgiving to God is also shown when we do what He asks of us in supporting the mission and ministry of the Lord here in this place.

On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income. (1 Chorinthians 16:2)

To then end that our Thanksgiving and Stewardship go hand in hand, each of the Sundays in November, I will be preaching a sermon series entitled "Stewardship: It's a Matter of Trust." In this series we will ask if we can trust God and if God can trust us. At the conclusion of the series each one of us will be asked to take the Trust Test. I firmly believe that the Lord will bless each of us during this time of focus on stewardship.

We all have so much to be thankful for. During this month, we would ask that the Lord would make us especially thankful for all His blessings! May God grant each of us grace to examine our thankfulness in all aspects of our life.