Thanksgiving in September

Where has the year gone! It is September already. Life's march is steady but have you ever thought of celebrating Thanksgiving in September, March or June? We have reason to.

In the latter chapters of Jeremiah, when all Israel has been sacked and carried captive, there comes a short sentence. It is a predicted exclamation that the Jews of Jeremiah's experience may never have aspired to sing. The vocalization comes in chapter 33 verse 11. But we need to include a bit of the context for the cry to make sense. So, look too at verses 10 through 12. We read

10 Thus saith the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast, 11 The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD. 12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again in this place, which is desolate without man and without beast, and in all the cities thereof, shall be an habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down .

Did you catch the praise there? Let me put the magnifying glass on it, "Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." This is God's prediction of future events and it included rich praise by His people. This, mind you, is prophecy unfulfilled to date. One day in the future, sacrificial processions will make their way into the Holy City with praise on their lips. God's praise will be the focus of eternity.

It should be our focus too. Every day should be Thanksgiving. It is a repeated theme in Scripture. Try these references on for size. I cut and pasted them from my e-Sword Bible program: 1Chr 16:8, 1Chr 16:34; 2Chr 5:13, 2Chr 7:3, 2Chr 20:21; Ezr 3:11; Psa 106:1, Psa 107:1; Psa 118:1-4, Psa 136:1-26.

Since most readers will skim over the above references let me highlight one. "Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." Sound familiar? It is from Jeremiah 33 and it is rich. "Praise" is giving glory to, giving reverent worship to, giving God His just due. Praise must be a part of my daily routine. It should be praise given to the "LORD of hosts". That designation is used 245 times in the Old Testament and 77 times in Jeremiah alone. Strange, because translated it means, "YHWH (Jehovah) of armies" (the armies of Israel).

At this point in Israel's history its armies could have been better depicted by the vision that Ezekiel had in what we know as the valley of dry bones. There were no hosts to command. They had been wiped out because of their persistent disobedience. A General of a wiped out host is a disgraced General and not one to be praised. However, a General who comes back to the rescue IS one to be praised. And as Ezekiel's vision reminds us, God can resurrect sun parched and lifeless bones.

When He does true Thanksgiving day begins! Celebrations will burst from all of creation because the LORD of hosts will assume command of Nature and mankind. I am SO looking forward to that day aren't you? Please pass the dressing!

Caught up to Paradise - 2 Corinthians 12

Residing in Michigan for over half my life, I had heard about Paradise. Because Paradise is a small town in the Upper Peninsula, you may have never visited there in your life, but you knew it existed. It was WAY up there next to Tahquamenon Falls and nothing else. Where's Tahquamenon Falls? Next to Paradise and nothing else. It's a long way from home. Why all of the talk about Paradise? Because Paul talks about it in 2 Corinthians 12. There was this guy who had been caught up to Paradise. Not in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, but into the REAL Paradise. While there, he'd heard things that he was unable to repeat. What on earth was this? Who was this guy? Here's what was going on. Paul defended his position of Apostleship in chapter eleven and gave the Corinthians an idea of what Apostleship looked like in chapter twelve. It came with great wonders, like seeing or instead hearing unimaginable things. But, too, that position came with a terrible cost. God gave Paul a &q

What to get God for Christmas

Jesus left perfect surroundings, relationships and glory to be born into squalor. He was homeless before birth. His father was a carpenter in a culture where carpentry was a despised trade. His, mother though young and giving birth to her firstborn, had no attendant nurses, helpers or friends. Rather than a pristine hospital, birth was given in the filthy stench of a stable. Romantic? Hardly. This sacrifice brought a life of hardship. Why? Why this odd story? Obedience. God's gift to humanity was His son. Jesus' gift was obedience to the Father. He paid the greatest price. Not because we are special but because he loves His Father. His gift was the perfect gift. Our Father wants obedience for Christmas and every other day for that matter. In Brazil Christmas is becoming commercialized. A phenomenon familiar for years in the United States tickles a growing economy. There is little time for meditation on God's Gift. There are no chestnuts roasting or Jack Frost nippin

Stop Trusting

Isaiah 2:22 says Isaiah 2:22 Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? The Prophet is saying that we shouldn't put our trust in humankind because they are so finite. They are not like God, who is infinite. People are fickle. They change their minds. They love you and then hate you in moments. God invites us to trust him completely with everything that we have. He doesn't show himself to us physically or as a spirit. He demands that we have faith. However, he also gives us the faith to trust him. The universe shouts "Creator!" and yet we often ignore the proclamation. This ignorance does not make God's creation any less a physical demonstration of his grandeur. God's boundless being becomes more amazing in his presence within us. How can the infinite God dwell in the mortals he commands us not to trust? Jesus said, "with man it is impossible but with God, all things are possible."

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