Thoughts on Thanksgiving

One of the books I’ve read lately is Why We’re Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be.  The authors Kevin DeYoung and Ted Kluck mention that in Hollywood, it is popular to be searching for God…it just isn’t good when you find Him.  Similarly, it is chic to be thankful.  However, when you mention Who you are thankful to, well, that crosses the line.

I am afraid that many Christians in America today are just that: “Thankful.”  Thankful, that’s it–No mention of the One to whom we should be thankful.

One of my Favorite Hymns in the Baptist Hymnal (1991) is Let All Things Now Living.  It is widely regarded as a Thanksgiving Hymn (whole text here).  I find the first section of verse two to be most helpful to me:

His law he enforces, the stars in their courses
And sun in its orbit obediently shine;

You know, there are many people who are thankful for the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars.  Yet they are not thankful to God for the Sun, Moon, and Stars.

This is superficial, not true, thankfulness.

To be truly thankful, you must be thankful to the One who gives you that for which you are thankful.

1 Timothy 6:13, Romans 4:17, Job 12:10, James 1:7, and Acts 17:25 tells us that it is God is the One who gives life.  So, whether it is admitted around the turkey or not, we must be thankful to God.  If we are not thankful to God, we are not truly thankful.

It is my hope that Christians will realize this and will start to be more thankful people, but in the right way.  All Christians must actively thank God.

If you woke up this morning, if you’ve returned from the “Black Friday” shopping safely, if you have a wonderful family–all of that is God’s doing.  You did not do that yourself; God blessed you.  Therefore, He is the One to whom we must all be thankful.

Thankfully,

The Archangel

Piper on Presidents, Politics, and the Sovereignty of God

This is a great video clip of John Piper explaning what our political attitudes should be.

For a longer clip (but still containing the above clip) look here.

Thanks to Bro. Matt’s Blog for posting this clip which is embeded above.

A New President and An Historic Election

In the early morning hours of April 12, 1861, no one in the area of Ft. Sumter could have predicted that 147 years later an African-American would become the President of a unified United States of America.

It is an historical irony that Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States–from Illinois, who authored and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, would, in essence, pave the way for the election of a fellow Illinois man to be elected the 44th President of the United States.

After the pains of reconstruction in the aftermath of the Civil War (which went on far too long!) and the unfathomable discrimination of the 20th Century which witnessed, among other things, the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., it is a great thing to see an African American be elected President.  It is truly a great day to be an American.

I did not vote for our President-Elect.  I am a conservative and he is not.  I do not share his vision for America, for it seems far too socalistic and anti-evangelical.  However, as Romans 13 and 1 Peter 1:13-17 tells us, Government is God’s idea.  As God is absolutely sovereign, He has seen fit to give us Barak Obama as our President.

Though I do and probably will continue to disagree with his politics, vision, and policies, as a Christian, I must pray for him as our President.  If you disagree with me, read 1 Timothy 2:

1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

May God, through the government He has provided, grant His people lives which are marked by peace and quiet and lives that are, above all, Godly and dignified in every way.  May God bless us so that we may live peacefully, practicing our faith freely.

I would encourage every Christian to pray for President-Elect Obama, for it is what God expects us to do.

Many Blessings,

The Archangel