Thanksgiving:Gather & Give
“When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.”
Psalm 104:28 (NIV)
When the new nation of Israel was being formed, God created holy days into Israel’s calendar and rhythm of life. Three annual pilgrimage feasts were established as national holidays for Israel to corporately gather and remember who God is and what he had done in their lives. Remembering Him helped them to also remember who they were: God’s chosen people. (Leviticus 23:2)
The word “gather” means to come together. It is a verb that requires intentional action. “Gather” is also a recurring theme found over 250 times in the Bible. God puts a priority on gathering and he expects us to do the same. Here are just a few gathering examples found throughout scripture:
God gathered waters he called “seas.” (Genesis 1:10)
Farmers gathered their crops at harvest (Exodus 23:16)
Israel gathered stones to celebrate God’s miraculous deliverances (Joshua 4:7)
Ruth gathered gleanings in Boaz’s field (Ruth 2:7)
Kings gathered armies (2 Samuel 2:30)
Shepherds gathered sheep (Genesis 29:3)
God gathered Israel’s remnant after the 70-year Babylonian exile. (Psalm 106:47)
The disciples gathered broken pieces of loaves and fishes following Jesus’ miraculous feeding the 5000. (John 6:12)
God will one day gather the nations (Isaiah 66:18)
Thanksgiving is certainly a time for gathering and coming together. This week many of us will be gathering our favorite Thanksgiving recipes and the ingredients required to prepare them. Some of us will be gathering dishes while others will be gathering paper products. Next week will be a time for gathering friends, family, and guests to share a meal.
Thanksgiving as a holiday is designed for giving thanks, but to whom & for what? For every gift given, there must be a Giver. In our current secular culture as more and more people identify as “nones,” Who or what should be thanked? Scripture tells us that “every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the Father.” (James 1:17)
John Piper writing in his book A Godward Life says, “Books don’t change people, paragraphs do; Sometimes sentences.” That is certainly true for me. In 2011 a friend gave me a copy of Ann Voskamp’s best-selling book 1000 Gifts. I’m not endorsing Voskamp’s book, but I can’t argue with her gratitude process for making a list of God’s gifts of grace. Three of Voskamp’s sentences have significantly impacted my life, especially this year with James Bruce’s death nine months ago:
“God gives gifts of grace; we give thanks; the result is joy.
“Every breath's a battle between grudgery and gratitude."
“Ultimately our thanksgiving should lead to thanksliving.”
Ellen Vaughn’s book Radical Gratitude also influenced my gratitude journey with one chapter entitled “Be the One.” Luke 17 records Jesus’ miraculous healing of ten lepers. Only one healed man returned to Jesus and gave him thanks. “Be the One!” is the Vaughn family’s motto for encouraging gratitude.
If you are struggling with finding gifts of God’s grace amid partisan politics; record inflation; shrinking 401K portfolios; threats of nuclear Armageddon, or even the loss of a loved one, try reading through Psalms 100-106 and Psalm 136 this week. Then make a daily list of at least five things for which you can be thankful.
John Piper once again helps us when he writes, “There are eyes in pens and pencils.” I experienced the reality of Piper’s wisdom this year as we gathered our broken pieces and counted God’s many gifts following James Bruce’s death.
Counting our gifts and intentionally giving thanks to the One who gives them becomes a way of seeing. Johnson Oatman, the hymn writer, wrote these words in 1897:
“Count your many blessings, name them one by one
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done”
Giving thanks isn’t the only thing we can give during this season of Thanksgiving. We can also extend the:
Gift of place to one who needs a seat at our table.
Gift of Hospitality by making people feel welcome, wanted, worth the trouble.
Gift of God’s Grace by sharing the Gospel with those who desperately need to hear it.
This Thanksgiving as we gather, give thanks, extend grace, and share the Gospel, let’s be intentional and relational in asking God to transform our holidays into holy days by remembering Who God is, what he has done, and counting our blessings one by one.