Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/93

Contributor - Norm Ratering

Title - The Christian Thanksgiving

Topic - Thanksgiving

And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19

One of the better ways to prepare for Thanksgiving is to read through the letter of Paul to the Philippians in one sitting. The book is being sent to a noble and generous church established by Paul in Europe. Everyone likes to le remembered and to have some tangible evidence of the affection and concern of others. Remember the gift your neighbour gave for being neighbourly? The Christians receiving this letter were mindful of Paul's material needs when he was in a nearer situation. Now that he is far away and in prison, they rise to the occasion again and send a gift, probably money. It almost cost the life of the carrier Epaphroditus, to make the long trip to Rome and place it in Paul's hands. But the gift relieved the prisoner's necessities and powerfully boosted his morale. Many are the times we are hungry for something other than food, things such as kindness and love, as sympathy and hope. Such gifts support friends far more than food and clothing.

So Paul, after receiving the grace of the Philippians, expresses his thanks in this letter. His appreciation reaches a climax in chapter 4, the text above.

A prison is a grim and cheerless place. To someone with a restless and eager temperament like Paul, this confinement must have been galling. He likely was 'chomping at the bit' to get out and busy again in the work to which God had called him. However, because of being imprisoned, he made the best of a bad situation - he started doing what he did best, preaching. The Gospel was heard in the guard room of Caesar's palace.

Paul was a man who had learned the great, good lesson of adapting to his surroundings; to accept them without complaint and to overcome a problem. "I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." Above all else he had Christ - and more importantly, Christ had him. "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

This is the attitude to be desired by Christians. Often we hear the contradiction between the self-pitying whines of the church and the faith we profess. Christians can, in spite of sad surroundings and outlooks, have a reasonably happy countenance with much inner joy and contentment, causing thousands of thanksgivings daily. A grateful heart independent of health or wealth shines.

A common fault among Christians is to dwell on the gloomy side of life, forgetting in everything to be content. Many of us love to magnify the dark and unhappy experiences or troubles or, worse, concentrate on the friend or relative who betrayed some confidence. So as God's people we become bearers of gloom instead of messengers of joy. Because of us, non-Christians, and some Christians, do not have occasion to glorify our Father who is in heaven.

Paul gratefully rejoiced in the gift which eased his burden and softened his hardships. Each of us has need of food, clothing and shelter. Today we have these in abundance. 'Mere is an overflowing surplus of good things in Canada permitting, almost compelling, us to share bountifully. Such blessings and opportunities cause our rejoicing.

Yet how can we be content with per sonar and national blessings when dozens of other counties have people with out such basic needs being met as food and shelter? Consider also the billions worldwide with disease and starvation. Here we have the opportunity to express our Christian faith through sharing and giving from our largeness. We who have are obligated to give.

Children have not been given the lesson of giving to others. One of the first things they do learn is to shop - hopefully not till they drop - for things for themselves. Noticed the ads lately? They seem to say, "Without these [Nike or Reebok] shoes, you can't even think about playing in the league." Much too often our own whims are met on impulse. Quite a contrast to, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me."

A good spiritual exercise might be for each of us to go over all the things we possess and count out those that we can do without. The Salvation Army or community clothes closet would be bulging! To get a good look at ourselves in this regard would be a very healthy experience.

While doing this, we may be surprised to find that there are only a few truly indispensable blessings, and the Christian has them all - forgiveness and acceptance in Christ for our sins, eternal hope in the Risen Lord, friends in Christ and uncountable opportunities to be the Lord's servants.

In Philippians 4:6,7 Paul speaks about prayer and thanksgiving, proceeding it with the short clause, "Do not be anxious about anything." This seems a strange thing for him to say in view of the sudden and violent death which faced him and all Christians at that time. Terrible persecution was coming and might occur at any moment. Nevertheless the apostle urges his friends to face life with calm and steady eyes and in a spirit of serene confidence.

It is easy for worry and anxiety to seize us on account of what we read and hear today, because of national and world perils. We have concerns at home and church and in business engaging our time and strength, and testing our endurance. Defeating anxiety comes when we bring God into the picture. "Do not be anxious about any thing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." This becomes the Christian way of fife through habitually asking God for His action in our lives. When troubles come, we h@e an Old Testament example of godliness practised by King Hezekiah (II Kings -19:14). "Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread [the letter from Sennacherib] out before the Lord." So too, Asaph, when troubled entered the sanctuary of God..." (Psalm 73:17). Whatever the circumstances were, in both cases, the godly person overcame the anxiety by seeking the Lord's will. This becomes one step in the healing of the troubled soul.

Prayer releases us from anxiety because it brings our will in line with the will of God. We say "No" to self and "Yes" to Him, and as our Lord found release and liberation of spirit in the garden of agony, so too we get a calm and serene outlook which the world cannot destroy, much less understand.

With prayer also, as Archbishop Richard Trench is to have said, "The duty is ours, the results are God's."

Here we have perspective and the ability to distinguish between the part of life we can control and the parts that lie beyond our ability to do anything at all. It would seem that this is what trusting God is all about - doing all we can to direct and manage events in our control, but leaving with God all difficulties where we are powerless. It should be the Christian's responsibility to lead the best and most useful life he can right up to the gates of death, and to leave with God the responsibility of eternal life on the other side.

All this was Paul's confidence in this letter of Thanksgiving. He concludes the verses before us saying, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." That made sense to these friends in Philippi for theirs was a Roman colony and they had seen Rome's soldiers mounting guard and patrolling the walls. Even so peace of God will hold the fort against all intruders. The writer does doors. not mean that the Christian will escape the battle, or that he will have a cheap Thanks be to God! and easy passage through the troubles and tangles of life. He rather means something far better - that when troubles and anxieties and worries come like a flood, the soul will stand triumphant, because God Himself will garrison, and His peace will guard the doors.

Please click the "Back" button of your browser to return to previous page.