Reflections on Thanksgiving
Dear FBCD Family,
Happiest of Thanksgivings to you! We're so grateful to each and every one of you - what a gift it is to have you in our FBCD family! We hope that today is filled with joy, love, and delicious food. Below are a couple of Thanksgiving devotions from Mark Green for you to enjoy.
Love,
Your FBCD Staff
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Well, it’s Thanksgiving time again. Today, we celebrate and give thanks to the Lord for all the blessings of the year.
Thanksgiving remains one of my favorite holidays… and perhaps it is one of yours as well.
I like Thanksgiving because of its simplicity. It is not overhyped or overly commercial. The emphasis seems to be on the essentials: good food and meaningful time shared with family and loved ones. There are not a lot of elaborate trappings to go along with the day.
I like Thanksgiving because it serves as a poignant reminder of resilience in the face of adversity. The Pilgrims' journey was fraught with challenges, yet their spirit remained unbroken. As they gathered with their Native American friends to celebrate the harvest, they exemplified the power of community, gratitude, and hope. Their story teaches us that unity and cooperation can lead to profound blessings even in the darkest times. This spirit of togetherness reminds us to cherish our connections and to be thankful for the support we receive from those around us.
I like Thanksgiving because it is a family-oriented holiday. We all think of our dearest and most treasured loved ones. Our hearts long to be with them as we celebrate this day. We likewise recall those who have passed on before us and fondly remember them as we give thanks for their lives.
I like Thanksgiving because of its sacred nature. Although it is not directly related to the Biblical feasts of thanksgiving, such as the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, it is akin to these in its essence as a celebration set aside to thank God for His harvest blessings.
“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” – Philippians 4:6
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:17
My prayer for you: have a Happy Thanksgiving. God’s grace and peace to you all.
- Mark
A Prayer in Autumn
Our God of all creation, we praise you today.
In the ever-changing seasons, you are forever the same. Seasons come, and seasons go, yet you remain.
You are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast, covenant love. Your faithfulness is known to all generations.
For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.
And we thank you, God.
As we enjoy this season of autumn with its emphasis on joy and abundance, it is a time of harvest, colorful foliage, cool refreshing days, family gatherings, festive school rituals, and the like. Our hearts are filled with gratitude as we reflect on times in our lives when we have experienced your joy and abundance:
… the carefree days of childhood,
… the joys of school days and the relationships we have made which still endure,
… early adulthood, when completing our degrees and entering the work-a-day world with vigor and excitement for all the possibilities ahead in our careers,
… the abundant joys of early marriage and family life when raising our young children,
... and the challenges… yes, but still the sweetness of having teenagers in the house and the many enriching experiences we share with them…
…our mid-careers when we “hit our stride” and make a significant impact on others through our chosen professions,
… and into our retirement years with all its freedoms and opportunities.
... and what a joy it is getting to share all of these times with our dear brothers and sisters in Christ in this place.
Like the autumn, these are seasons of joy and abundance. And, like every good gift we can name, they are all from your hand. We thank you, God.
But we know that in addition to these seasons of joy and abundance, other seasons of life are hard. Sickness, surgeries, the loss of a job, chronic pain, a family member struggling with an addiction, the death of a loved one, the physical limits of our bodies in old age, those estranged from family, those on the margins of society, those ostracized for the color of their skin or just being their true selves. For all of these, we pray.
Yet, even in these toughest times, help us to know that You are here with us. You are our God Emmanuel; our God who is always with us and always for us.
Oh God, In the ever-changing seasons, you are forever the same. Seasons come, and seasons go, yet you remain.
You are a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast, covenant love. Your faithfulness is known to all generations.
For everything, there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven.
And we thank you, God.
In the name of Christ and by the Spirit we pray. Amen.
R. Mark Green
Pastor to Senior Adults and Youth & Children’s Music