It’s amazing to me how sometimes I can be incredibly bold with my bellyaching. As soon as I get mad, as soon as I get annoyed, as soon as something happens that frustrates me I let everyone around me know it.  I can be so courageous when I complain, so brave when I start whining about the things I don’t like. 

Stage fright? Please. I could be in the middle of a packed shopping mall, surrounded by people, but if something sets me off I’ll start complaining at the same volume level as if I were preaching the last sermon of my life. 

And I think that’s true of a lot of us. When it’s time to show our discontent (Especially if there’s family members around), we just let ‘er rip. It is not hard for us to be bold in our bellyaching. 

But instead, maybe we should aim to be bold in our thanksgiving. 

It’s about that time of year again, November is rolling in. Soon it will be time for food, family, and football. The joys of Thanksgiving day, the eagerness of appetizers - while all the while at least one family member keeps an eye on the calendar to let everyone know when Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season really begins. 

And during all of this, let’s be truly bold in our Thanksgiving this year. Instead of being bold in family squabbles, courageous in complaining about nationwide shipping shortages, or brave to chastise the person who dared to make that stuffing recipe again - instead of it all let us be bold in our Thanksgiving. 

Our thanksgiving to each other, and especially to our God. 

Not just for the blessings of home, food, warmth, and companionship. Not just for family and friends. Not just for big screen TVs. But for the love God showers on everyday through Jesus. For the love God will shower on us eternally through Jesus. All of it. All of it we are thankful for, all of it is God’s big, bright smile towards us through the cross of His Son.

So this Thanksgiving, instead of being bold to bellyache, be bold to bless. Be courageous in counting your blessings.

Raise up your voice and let ‘er rip.

 

Pastor Joshua Zarling