Traditionally in the U.S., the Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated
on the 4th Thursday of November. But for the past 11 years, living
in a country without the Thanksgiving holiday, we, along with a bunch of other
Americans, have celebrated on the Saturday following what would be Thanksgiving
Day. We get together and of course eat all kinds of American foods that
Australians would find hard to stomach (at least in serving some of them as main
meal food and not dessert) such as 7 layer Jelly and sweet potato casserole.
But more than the food is the opportunity for Fellowship. It’s always time for
good conversations, and fun throwing a Frisbee around, or playing other games
together. But my favourite part is when we all go around and say something that
we’re thankful for.
It’s a real encouragement to think back over the year, and
to recognise the many, many things that God has blessed us with to be thankful
for. There are usually some tears, definitely by me, because when people take
the time to share things, the things that are said truly help all of us to
remember what it is that we should give thanks to God for. For me, it was easy
to choose what I wanted to say. Not because there are so few things that I can
be thankful for, but rather because many of the things that I have to be
thankful for in this year past are all wrapped up into one thing. And that is
the thing that I shared.
I’m thankful for all the things that my parents taught me in
the first 24 years of my life while I lived with them, to equip me for living
without them. The list of things that they taught me could go on and on, but
this past Lord’s day as I was walking to church in the evening, I realised that
there is especially one thing that I am VERY thankful that my parents taught me.
Taught me both in words, and very much by their example. And that is the
importance of corporate worship. I was walking to church, singing psalm 119E,
and I was struck with an overpowering sense of thankfulness. Thankful that we
have the privilege of worshipping together twice on the Lord’s Day. Thankful
that God cares for us as His people SOOOO much that He gives us one day out of
EVERY week to set aside as different. A day that refreshes me spiritually,
physically, and emotionally. Psalm 119:38 & 40 say, “That I Your servant be
revived to serve you reverently…Revive me in Your righteousness; I long for
Your decrees.” – that’s the kind of longing I had on the Lord’s day. A longing
to be with God and His people, hearing His word read, sung, and preached. And I
was revived to be in worship. Which is why, I am so thankful for the things my
parents have taught me, and one thing especially, to view the Lord’s day as a
blessing. And that, is what I am thankful for.
