Thanksgiving

Great is Thy Faithfulness

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 ESV

I love singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, when I sense the peace and contentment of God’s care at Thanksgiving, Yet, both the writer of Lamentations as well as Thomas Chisolm, the hymn writer, were going through difficulties and trials when they wrote these words. They remind us that if rejoicing in God’s faithfulness, has to wait for everything be going right, then we would be an ungrateful people much of the time. But today’s verse and the hymn, “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, draw their power from the triumph of God’s grace when everything is going wrong. While composing these lyrics, Thomas Chisolm suffered from such ill health that he was forced to leave the pastoral ministry, and he wrote the lyrics as a poem, reflecting his trust in God in spite of his problems. Later, he sent his friend William Runyan, the poem and Runyan when on to write the melody we sing today. In the Bible, the prophet Jeremiah tells us of God’s great faithfulness and love after his nation had been conquered, Jerusalem lay in ruins, and Solomon’s temple had been robbed of its treasures. With nothing left to show for the centuries of Israel’s glory, power and success, Jeremiah finds the steadfast love and mercy of God are an unshakeable hope that is new every morning. So, whatever you are facing this Thanksgiving, allow God to gently remind you that His mercies never fail, they are new every morning, because His faithfulness and love will never come to an end!

Have You Invited Jesus for Thanksgiving?

/ pastorpete51 / 1 Comment

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:47 ESV

The story behind the writing of the hymn, “Pass Me Not” is both interesting and complicated. It all began one day when the now famous hymn writer, Fanny Crosby, went to speak at a prison. As she passed between the cell blocks, she heard one of the prisoners calling out, “O Lord, please don’t pass me by.” This led Fanny to sit down soon afterward and pen the familiar words, “Pass me not oh gentle Savior, hear my humble cry!” These were almost word for word the cry of the blind beggar named Bartimaeus who we meet in Mark’s gospel. Bartimaeus was sitting by the side of the road as Jesus began to pass and he cried out with both desperation and faith. Desperation, because he knew that only Jesus could help, and faith because he believed that He would. But even beyond the Biblical application, we can find even another layer of meaning, when we realize that, Fanny Crosby, just like Bartimaeus had been blind most of her life.

But as we sang together today at Sunshine Memory Care, I was struck by the fact that my friends there, were not singing these words in desperation or sadness, but with faith and joy. Next week is Thanksgiving and few of these precious people will have any family to sit down with, and the piece of turkey with a bit of gravy on their lunch menu is all the celebrating they will get to do. But God knows every one of them by name. He has the hairs of their heads all numbered and if no one else will sit down with them, they know that Jesus will, if they simply invite Him in! If Jesus remembers them, He also remembers you. In all the busyness of your holiday season, remember to slow and then invite Jesus into your heart for Thanksgiving! It is an invitation He will never refuse!

Thanksgiving by Candlelight

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments

In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you! 1 Thessalonians 5:17

One Thanksgiving, when our sons were still teen-agers, Nancy had to work the first half of the day. To make things easier, she had prepared some of the food the night before, but the turkey was up to us guys to have cooked by the time she came home. So, while Nancy went off to her duties at the department store, I started wrestling with the bird and had the boys get the table set. Believe it or not the sweet potatoes, green bean casserole and cheesecake for desert were all ready by the time Nancy got home about four-thirty. As soon as she got in the door our boys anxiously started asking if they could watch a football game from the table. Nancy groaned inwardly, and said, “Not until we are at least done eating the main course, please!”

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Then as we sat down and bowed our heads to give thanks for another year, a funny thing happened. The lights went out! The day had been sunny and warm, by Northeastern Pennsylvanian standards. While the boys and I sat stunned, Nancy, with a huge grin, leapt into action and pulled out the candles from the cupboard. By flashlight, I found a nice pair of candlestick holders and then in the flickering light that kind of reminded me of Abraham Lincoln in his log cabin, we bowed again and laughed as we gave thanks. After a hearty “Amen!”, we dug into the most delicious holiday meal that I can ever remember! Then, just as we finished eating, the lights snapped back on. The game was eventually watched, and later we learned our mysterious blackout happened because someone’s pickup truck had knocked over a power pole. But whatever the explanation, I am convinced to this day that God in His own special timing, took us off schedule, to remind us that taking time together and being thankful to him is what a real Thanksgiving is all about!

In happy moments, praise God. In difficult moments, seek God. In quiet moments, worship God. In painful moments, trust God. Every moment, thank God.”

Rick Warren

Time to Be Thankful by Peter Caligiuri

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16 KJV

We have time to eat turkey
And time to have our pie
Time to watch some football
And for buying stuff on line

But for everything God gave us
Will we take time to say “Thanks”
Or just argue over politics
And a film that stars Tom Hanks?

But if Jesus is the center
Of all we do and say
Then truly we can celebrate
This Good Thanksgiving Day!


It is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors. - George Washington
Thankful for happy memories with my real Thanksgiving treasures!