A Reason to Rejoice! A Thanksgiving Greeting by Tom Cramer, Executive Presbyter

I sometimes wonder if the Apostle Paul knew what he was talking about when he wrote, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 NRSV).

Let me be real. It is hard for me to “give thanks” when I am having difficulty paying my bills, fighting with a friend, or watching a loved one suffer chronic pain. It is far more natural for me to cry out, “Where are you, God?!” than it is to “give thanks.”

Perhaps that is why Paul creates a “prayer sandwich” between his twin admonitions to “rejoice” and “give thanks” because “Where are you, God?” is included in prayers one can  “pray without ceasing.”  It is akin to what the Psalmist writes when he prays, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—from where will my help come?” And then he answers, “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth…He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Ps 121:1-4 NRSV).  

Staying in constant, unceasing dialogue with the Living God is a wonder of its own. I can bring my whole self to God and not just my smiley faces and heart emojis, and the God who made heaven and earth will hear me and attend to my needs.

Although I may not give thanks “for all circumstances,” I can certainly give thanks “in them” because I remember that my Maker has made himself known to me in Jesus Christ and has given me reason to rejoice even when my circumstances do not.

For this great gift, and for the gift of each other as God’s covenant people, I shall always give thanks. Whether you are alone or with family this week, may your heart be filled with the warmth of Christ’s presence, knowing that your prayers are being heard and rejoicing is soon to come.