Carl Sandburg, the great American writer, tells a story of when he was in university. His roommate was unable to go home for the holidays, and so Sandberg invited him to come to his house. As Sandberg introduced his roommate to his hard-of-hearing aunt, he announced, “Auntie, I want you to meet my roommate, Al Specknoodle!” The aunt cupped her ear and shook her head. Carl tried again, “I want you to meet my roommate, Al Specknoodle!” The aunt frowned and shook her head again. Carl sputtered and shouted, “Al Specknoodle, my roommate!” Finally the aunt turned away and said, “It’s no use, Carl. No matter how many times you say it, it still sounds like Al Specknoodle!”
No matter how many times I have read Paul’s command to give thanks in all circumstances, it still sounds strange. I don’t think I am hard-hearted, but giving thanks in all circumstances just sounds insensitive. Now, it is not that I am against doing what the Bible clearly says to do (at least, I hope not), because I have no problem “rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn” (Rom 12:15) or encouraging people to “Cast all their anxiety upon God for he cares for them” (1 Peter 5:7). But telling people who are up to their armpits in alligators to “Give thanks” (1 Thess. 5:18, just seems rude. And yet, that is exactly what Paul is telling the church in Thessalonica to do. Now if the church was maybe feeling a little off their game, I’m sure Paul’s admonition would have been fine. Perhaps, what they needed was a little kick in the seat of the pants, a little reminder to stop being so negative and, instead, to hope Christ. But that was not what was going on. The church in Thessalonica was experiencing some real hardships. Persecution had broken out, and suffering was plentiful. And into the context, Paul says, rejoice, pray and give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Now, my basic operating assumption is that the Bible is not insensitive or out of touch with reality, so there has to be something in the act of giving thanks that actually equips and empowers God’s people to endure their sufferings with untiring faith and a persistent hope. There has to be something in what seems to be an impossible command (to give thanks in all circumstances) that is actually good for us. that will turn this difficult directive into a beautiful blessing. As it turns out, there are many blessings hidden in this act, but since there are many more thanksgivings to come, we will only focus on two today.
First, Giving Thanks is Our Most Basic Response to God’s Outrageous Grace and Love.
I am a presbyterian, and I do like the Westminster Confession of Faith. It is a great summary of what the Bible teaches, but it doesn’t quite stir the heart (but please don’t tell anyone I said that). However, the Heidelberg Catechism is very devotional and (in my opinion, at least) is deeply moving. And you can see this even when you read the table of contents. The Catechism is divided into three sections.
The first section deals with our misery as creatures separated from God because of our rebellion and sin. The second section deals with God’s redemption and talks about all that Jesus has done for us. Now, the third section could be entitled, “our response to God’s gracious redemption,” but instead it is simply named, “Thankfulness.” Imagine that, a whole theology of how we are to respond to God summed up in one word: thankfulness. Why do we love God? Because we are so thankful. Why should we love others as ourselves? Because we are so thankful to God. Why should we pray? Because we are so thankful. Why do we die to self and strive towards being more Christ-like. Because we are so thankful. Everything we do is to be an act of thanksgiving, not ought or obligation, not duty or demand, but gratitude. It is that simple: God’s people are to be marked with gratitude because we are recipients of God’s abundant grace.
There’s a great story in Luke 7. Jesus is having dinner with Simon the Pharisee when their meal is interrupted by a “sinful woman” who anoints Jesus’ feet with her tears and expensive perfume. Simon is outraged that Jesus would let such a woman touch him. He can’t imagine allowing such a woman to do such a thing. Jesus, on the other hand, can’t imagine a woman who has been set free from her sin by God’s grace and forgiveness not doing such a thing. But Simon doesn’t get it. And so, Jesus tells him a parable about two men who are in debt, one terribly so (500 day’s wages) and one significantly so (50 day’s wages). Neither one could repay their debt, but instead of throwing them in jail, the money lender forgives both men their obligation. They are both set free. And to drive his point home, Jesus ask Simon: “Which debtor will love the money lender more?” And Simon says: “The one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” Don’t miss the point here. Jesus is saying that if we see our debt and take hold of our forgiveness, we will be grateful (just like the woman); and if we are not grateful, we have not grasped our debt or our need for forgiveness (like Simon). Why? Because gratitude is a litmus test that shows we know we are serious sinners saved by serious grace. And if there is little to no gratitude, then we can’t really claim that we are recipients of grace.
But that is not all: being grateful reminds us of what is truly important.
Matthew Henry, the biblical scholar and pastor, once was robbed. The next day, he meditated on his experience and then prayed these words:
Let me be thankful first, because he never robbed me before; second because although he took my purse, he did not take my life; third because although he took all I possessed, it was not much; and fourth because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.
What gave Henry such perspective? I want to suggest that when he turned his heart to thanksgiving, he saw what was really important in life and maybe even what he had been taking a bit for granted. Maybe in a fresh new way, he realized that God had been protecting him from untold dangers in the past. Maybe he had become a little stressed about his financial situation, but now he understood that life is far more valuable than money. Maybe now, he realized anew that God provides for all of our needs. And maybe now, he comprehended God’s incredible sovereign grace that allowed him to be the one robbed and not the one robbing others. And here’s the thing: Such perspective only comes in the context of thanksgiving because gratitude gave him the eyes to see things from the vantage point of eternity.
My favorite character in history is Benedict Arnold. Had I time to tell you his story, I would, because he was a remarkable man who single-handedly saved our country from almost certain defeat by the British on two occasions and came within five feet of defeating the British in Canada, an act that would have ended the war right then and there. And I would tell you how he single-handedly turned the tide at Saratoga and turned defeat into the biggest victory of the northern war, a victory that drew the French into the war on our side and sealed the fate of the British army. And I would tell you how a British musket ball fired at Saratoga slammed into his thigh, shattering the bone and removing him from active duty and that this put him in a place where, through the wiles of a beautiful woman, he conceived of a plan to betray his country. Had that musket ball been better aimed, had it struck Arnold just 19 inches higher, so that it would have been a fatal shot, Benedict Arnold would be known today as the greatest American general in US history, far greater than Eisenhower, Patton, Grant, Lee and Washington. But it wasn’t aimed well and, instead of hitting him in the chest, it slammed into his thigh; and Arnold went on to betray his country and is known today as the greatest villain in American history. See, there are far worse things than death.
So, it is with us. When we give thanks, we are forced to reevaluate our priorities; and in that process, we see what is really important to us. And we see that there are lots of things worse than what is happening to us presently. And that is doubly true when we recognize that an eternity awaits us. No matter what happens to us here and now, it will not be the end of the story, for nothing will ever separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. And that truth alone, is worthy of our constant thanksgiving.
Enjoy your thanksgiving weekend—the food, the festivities, your family and your friends who gather around your thanksgiving table. And as you are celebrating, remember Paul’s words: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18).
