Treasures of Thankfulness
VT Sabbath Focus: Treasures of Thankfulness
Thursday of next week is Thanksgiving Day here in the U.S.A.
Originally established to thank God for the blessings received in this
country, yet as a nation we seem to have forgotten the meaning of
Thanksgiving Day. Consequently it has morphed into the opening bell for
the Christmas buying season. Retailers have been feeling the economic
pinch in recent years, and so have become even more aggressive in luring
potential customers into their stores on Thanksgiving or even before
that day.
Some years ago I was interested in getting a new computer for my wife and decided that I would go out early on Black Friday hoping to get a great deal. I arrived at the computer store shortly before 5 a.m. and witnessed a mob of people already there. Literally, standing room only. The line for the checkout stretched half-way around the interior of the store. Needless to say, the computer bargain I was looking for was long gone. This scenario has not improved over the years. People now camp out in front of retail stores days before Thanksgiving so that they can be one of the first in the store on Black Friday.
Remembering my experience, some questions come to my mind:
- Are we as zealous for what God has given us? What does Christ tell us to set as our priority in Matthew 6:33? God wants us to desire His way actively, not passively – desiring what God desires should come first in our lives. Do we value the calling God has given to us now, more than all of those shoppers giving up their sleep on a day off from work in order to get the greatest bargains?
- If you had to purchase the truth of God, what would you be willing to pay? What if you had the treasure in your back yard to purchase such a truth and didn’t even know it? Read Matthew 13:44-46.
Do we value the truth God gives us that much? Are we deeply thankful for the calling God has given to us now – to be part of the firstfruits? Are we thankful to have the hope of His Kingdom – to know that there are solutions to the problems mankind has created in this world? Are we thankful to be called to serve, and be able to practice that in this lifetime and see the blessings that come from living God’s way of life?
- Perhaps on this Sabbath day, before the holiday of Thanksgiving you could make a personal list of what you are thankful for – both physical and spiritually – that God has given to you.
It’s easy to see what the world values during this time of year. Very few celebrate Thanksgiving with true thankfulness. Few are seeking something bigger than the latest gadget in their life. And few are willing to invest in changing themselves so that they can be part of changing the world for the better.
Having been called out of that world, we need to constantly remind ourselves what God has given us to value. Let us be thankful for the physical and spiritual blessings of God. And let’s remember to be thankful for the knowledge that our God is loving, merciful, patient, and giving.
Some years ago I was interested in getting a new computer for my wife and decided that I would go out early on Black Friday hoping to get a great deal. I arrived at the computer store shortly before 5 a.m. and witnessed a mob of people already there. Literally, standing room only. The line for the checkout stretched half-way around the interior of the store. Needless to say, the computer bargain I was looking for was long gone. This scenario has not improved over the years. People now camp out in front of retail stores days before Thanksgiving so that they can be one of the first in the store on Black Friday.
Remembering my experience, some questions come to my mind:
- Are we as zealous for what God has given us? What does Christ tell us to set as our priority in Matthew 6:33? God wants us to desire His way actively, not passively – desiring what God desires should come first in our lives. Do we value the calling God has given to us now, more than all of those shoppers giving up their sleep on a day off from work in order to get the greatest bargains?
- If you had to purchase the truth of God, what would you be willing to pay? What if you had the treasure in your back yard to purchase such a truth and didn’t even know it? Read Matthew 13:44-46.
Do we value the truth God gives us that much? Are we deeply thankful for the calling God has given to us now – to be part of the firstfruits? Are we thankful to have the hope of His Kingdom – to know that there are solutions to the problems mankind has created in this world? Are we thankful to be called to serve, and be able to practice that in this lifetime and see the blessings that come from living God’s way of life?
- Perhaps on this Sabbath day, before the holiday of Thanksgiving you could make a personal list of what you are thankful for – both physical and spiritually – that God has given to you.
It’s easy to see what the world values during this time of year. Very few celebrate Thanksgiving with true thankfulness. Few are seeking something bigger than the latest gadget in their life. And few are willing to invest in changing themselves so that they can be part of changing the world for the better.
Having been called out of that world, we need to constantly remind ourselves what God has given us to value. Let us be thankful for the physical and spiritual blessings of God. And let’s remember to be thankful for the knowledge that our God is loving, merciful, patient, and giving.
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