"A True Remedy for Thanksgiving"

A sermon preached by the Rev. Christopher E. Yopp at Edgemont Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) based on I Chronicles 16:1-6.

In 1815 President James Madison declared that Thanksgiving be celebrated twice. He did this as an attempt to boost America’s happiness and sense of giving thanks. You know, while I believe that Madison had a good point, still it is hard to ignore reality. Adding another day of celebration to the calendar is hardly a remedy for “thanksgiving.” And perhaps it will be a little more difficult this year for you give thanks. Perhaps this year there’s a little less cause for giving thanks. I mean, after all, it is difficult to ignore the problems facing our country: a weak economy, an unstable market, poverty, foreclosures, loss of jobs, disease, famine, terror, war and the list could go on and on. Not to mention the concerns we face every day of raising children and keeping them safe, schools, marriages, health, death, and personal finances. With all of these problems, with all of these concerns it is difficult sometimes to give thanks.
M. Scott Peck in The Road Less Traveled reminds us that life is difficult. In fact, he writes; “This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it… Most do not fully see this truth that life is difficult. Instead, they moan more or less continuously, noisily or subtly, about the enormity of their problems, their burdens, and their difficulties, as if life should be easy…”
In our Scripture Lesson this evening we permitted to take part in the liturgy or worship service that David had planned to commemorate the Ark of the Covenant’s return to Jerusalem. We are told that David had the Levites, that priestly tribe of Israel, form a choir and we are told that he divided them into three sections or groups, one “to record,” another “to thank,” and a third “to praise.” And certainly, this three-fold formula should be applied to our lives if we truly want to live a life of thanksgiving.
David had instructed the first group of Levites “to record.” The Hebrew word there is zakar, which is better translated “to remember.” One of my favorite stories is told by Dr. David McLennon of his first job in a small town general store. This was in the days before malls and supermarkets. At age of 13 he was hired as a handy boy. He would sweep the flour, bag items for customers and put up stock. On one particular Saturday, he recalled, he overheard the owner say to one of the clerks “Well, it’s about that time of the year for us to take inventory.” Dr. McLennon wrote, “Unaware of what an inventory was I asked the owner, who was an older man; ‘Sir, what is an inventory?’ Patiently the owner explained that it was a time when you made a list of everything that you had in the store.’” Dr. McLennon went on to say; “Still somewhat puzzled, I then asked; ‘Why?’ ‘Well,’ said the owner, ‘it’s easy to forget exactly how much you have each year. And so, every now and then you have to take an inventory just to see what all you have.’” Dr. McLennon said; “That story pretty well sums up what thanksgiving is all about. It’s a time when each of us needs to ask ourselves the question; Have I taken inventory of my life lately? Have I made an effort to count all the things that I do have in life instead of complaining about the things that I don’t have.” What a good exercise for all of us! Have you taken inventory lately? Thanksgiving from a biblical perspective offers a very similar picture. In fact, the Bible’s definition of thanksgiving usually begins with an inventory.
David had instructed the second group of Levites “to thank”. I read of a church in London that has a sign above the entry into its sanctuary which bears three words: “THINK AND THANK.” The meaning is obvious. If we truly stop to think more, surely we would stop to thank more.
Perhaps some of you are familiar with Kenny Rogers’ song; The Gambler. The song offers a metaphor: life is a card game and certainly it is a reminder that none of us can determine the hand life will deal us, all we can do is play our hands to the best of our abilities.
And certainly the question we should ask ourselves is, “How does our faith in God help us in playing our hands?” You see, some people view God as the Divine Dealer, who doles out the good cards to some and the bad cards to others. But you know, I think this view of God is absolutely wrong. This makes God seem arbitrary and unfair. Rather, I see God has the Divine Guide, who gently guides us in playing our hands.
Hopefully, you won’t chastise me for using the metaphor of playing cards with life. But it offers a wonderful metaphor. When we’re in the middle of the game, it’s difficult to fully know which cards are good and which are bad. The cards that bring suffering and adversity often strengthen us and build character and compassion. At the time, suffering seems harmful and unfair. But, at the end of the game we can see that we were really playing a winning hand.
We must remember that “in all things, God works for the good of those who love God.” And this alone should fill our hearts with “thanksgiving.”
And finally, the third group of Levites had the responsibility of praising God. One of the Hebrew words for “thanksgiving” is the word huyyedot - his not only implies praising God with voice but also with our lives. It is more than just thanksgiving, it’s thanks living. This three-fold liturgy that David used really applies the lyrics to the traditional Thanksgiving Hymn; “Now thank we all our God with heart or mind, voices and hands. As our Scripture Lesson this evening, along with the hymn; “Now Thank We All Our God” reminds us, there is a three-fold expression to our thanksgiving. Thanksgiving should involve our hearts, our hands and our voices - it should imply remembering, thanking and praising. For this is truly live a life of thanksgiving!