For some, Thanksgiving means football, family and food. On account of the fact that I’m not all that crazy about the all-American sport* or about the fare that characterizes this holiday, I’ve recently arrived at alternate reasons why I think it’s just swell anyway.
Of course, any excuse to gather long-separated families together is mighty fine. I am overcome with disbelief that I have not seen my sister or brother-in-law in three months! That’s a quarter of a year, for Pete’s Sake. Too long. So, granted, I’m looking forward to a sweet reunion with my kin.
Additionally, I’ve been chewing on (and been challenged by) these words by A.W. Tozer that were thoughtfully shared at Redeemer this Sunday:
“The dictionary says that to admire is to regard with wondering esteem accompanied by pleasure and delight; to look at or upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure. According to this definition, God has few admirers among Christians today. Many are they who are grateful for His goodness in providing salvation. At Thanksgiving time the churches ring with songs of gratitude that all is safely gathered in. Testimony meetings are mostly devoted to recitations of incidents where someone got into trouble and got out again in answer to prayer. To decry this would be uncharitable and unscriptural for there is much of the same thing in the Book of Psalms. It is good and right to render unto God thanksgiving for all His mercies to us. But God’s admirers, where are they? The simple truth is that worship is elementary until it begins to take on the quality of admiration. Just as long as the worshiper is engrossed with himself and his good fortune, he is a babe. We begin to grow up when our worship passes from thanksgiving to admiration. As our hearts rise to God in lofty esteem for that which He is (I AM THAT I AM), we begin to share a little of the selfless pleasure which is the portion of the blessed in heaven.”
It is quite effortless to leak thanks to the Lord when things are going my way…when I feel blessed. It is an altogether different ballgame to worship Him out of genuine admiration of WHO HE IS – an unchanging, always-loving, never-not-deserving-of-praise God. I hope that this Thanksgiving, I will move past myself to see the Giver beyond His gifts.
Of course, any excuse to gather long-separated families together is mighty fine. I am overcome with disbelief that I have not seen my sister or brother-in-law in three months! That’s a quarter of a year, for Pete’s Sake. Too long. So, granted, I’m looking forward to a sweet reunion with my kin.
Additionally, I’ve been chewing on (and been challenged by) these words by A.W. Tozer that were thoughtfully shared at Redeemer this Sunday:
“The dictionary says that to admire is to regard with wondering esteem accompanied by pleasure and delight; to look at or upon with an elevated feeling of pleasure. According to this definition, God has few admirers among Christians today. Many are they who are grateful for His goodness in providing salvation. At Thanksgiving time the churches ring with songs of gratitude that all is safely gathered in. Testimony meetings are mostly devoted to recitations of incidents where someone got into trouble and got out again in answer to prayer. To decry this would be uncharitable and unscriptural for there is much of the same thing in the Book of Psalms. It is good and right to render unto God thanksgiving for all His mercies to us. But God’s admirers, where are they? The simple truth is that worship is elementary until it begins to take on the quality of admiration. Just as long as the worshiper is engrossed with himself and his good fortune, he is a babe. We begin to grow up when our worship passes from thanksgiving to admiration. As our hearts rise to God in lofty esteem for that which He is (I AM THAT I AM), we begin to share a little of the selfless pleasure which is the portion of the blessed in heaven.”
It is quite effortless to leak thanks to the Lord when things are going my way…when I feel blessed. It is an altogether different ballgame to worship Him out of genuine admiration of WHO HE IS – an unchanging, always-loving, never-not-deserving-of-praise God. I hope that this Thanksgiving, I will move past myself to see the Giver beyond His gifts.
* Though I do have a soft spot for the Dawgs, of course.
(Um, is "nother" a word? It sounded so right a few minutes ago, but now, I'm all the sudden not so sure).
1 comment:
Thanks for that Cor-face, it was a nice re-focuser for the coming holiday madness.
The word "nother" feels right to me as well.
Uhm, is bookclub this Monday? If so I have work...and will have to miss it...not to be lame, but do you think the group would be peeved if we moved it?
Also, you gonna be back in time for church this Sunday?
Geez...this is enough of a post to suggest we need a phone date ASAP. Call ya tomorrow! In the mean time, freakin' miss you kid.
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