Thanksgiving is coming up soon. It's my favorite holiday. Lots less commercialism than Christmas, and a good time for family fellowship. We're too far from much of the family, but we usually have my daughter and son-in-law and grandchild Dylan from San Francisco, and our son from Phoenix and his bride-to-be. That's a lot to look forward to.
And we are blessed. We're far from wealthy, but we have a good house and two cars which are reliable. As of today, we are all healthy. All in all, we'll have an easy Thanksgiving. Thankfulness is easy when you have a loaded table and a glass of wine at hand.
What do you do when things aren't so good? As Job's wife once advised him in the middle of his trials, should you "curse God and die"? I know several people who have great trials in their lives. I know this guy Rock, who has a terminal illness. I know a couple who are serving long sentences in prison, sentences which are much longer than are just, if they deserve to be imprisoned at all. How do you figure on the mercies and grace of God when you see your end in sight? Or when everyone around you is clothed in orange jumpsuits?
The aforementioned are examples of why I can be thankful beyond me an beyond my circumstances. Not because I am not in their circumstances (nor would I wish to be), but that they are also thankful in their circumstances. They encourage me!
Joseph Merrick, the noted "Elephant Man" who lived in the 1800's was a man who was thankful. He lived his whole life in a grotesque, bloated, disfigured body because of a rare disease. He was so ugly he once hired out to a travelling freak show. He was loathed, mistreated, reviled, and yet near the end of his short life, having been institutionalized for the greater portion of it, he was able to say, "I am happy every hour of the day."
Not that the aforementioned, not even Mr. Merrick, was or is actually happy every hour of the day. Even when I'm healthy and comfortable I'm not always happy. But I think these individuals have what one man described as "peace at the center". Merrick at the end of his life was well cared for; Rock saw his sister come to Jesus as a result of his illness; my friends have a ministry inside prison walls that no pastor can have.
Romans 8:28 tells us that "God causes all things to work together for good for those that love him". That's the perspective we can have if Christ in the center of our lives. It's that whatever happens to us--good or bad--it's good because there is purpose in it: A new perspective, purpose in every circumstance, the knowledge we are greatly and unconditionally loved, a reminder that though we are mortal we can focus on what is not mortal. As an old hymn counsels,
Thanks for grace in time of sorrow
And for joy and peace in Thee
Thanks for hope today, tomorrow,
And for all eternity!
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