On the way home from a Sunday night church service, my friends introduced me to four other passengers:
“I know this is a terrible introduction,” one confessed, “but her mom is awesome.”
I replied with agreement; she is amazing. Unexpectedly, Heidi, the black-haired girl sitting next to me, voiced a strong statement:
“At least you have a mom. Some of us have never had a mom, and some of our moms died,” she stated.
“Yes, and I am very grateful to have her,” I replied.Wow. God sure threw me a curve ball. Using a stranger, He bluntly reminded me of His blessings. Living with a Godly mother shapes my spiritual maturity and wisdom, but others do not have this privilege.
Unfortunately, we often allow such things as tiffs and arguments to blind us from reality--especially during holidays. Whenever family gathers, someone usually ends up disagreeing with another.
Why is it that the one day meant for reunion often brings about discord?
In Colossians 3:15, Paul wrote, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful” (NKJV). While this verse seems like nothing extraordinary, a trip into the rich Greek roots reveals a powerful message.
The word peace has several meanings: A state of national tranquility; exemption from the rage and havoc of war; peace between individuals, i.e.-harmony, concord; security, safety, prosperity, felicity (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe and prosperous); of the Messiah’s peace, among others.These roots reveal an interesting concept: when we lay aside our offenses, we will safely live in harmony with others. With this harmony, we will prosper. Discord causes rifts; concord brings reunion. Until we accept a “state of…tranquility,” we will never be thankful for our families, and thus the arguments will continue.
God also deserves our attention. In Psalms 100:4, the psalmists writes, “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, [And] into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, [and] bless His name” (NKJV).
What is thanksgiving? According to the Hebrew root, towdah, thanksgiving is: Confession, praise, thanksgiving; thank-offering, sacrifice of thanksgiving; confession, among others.
When we come to praise God, our offenses hinder our relationship with Him. In order to draw closer to Him, we must confess--confess that perhaps these arguments were selfish and ungodly, that perhaps they hurt others, that perhaps we were wrong all along. At this point, we admit our inability to handle our own lives, and we give God the reigns. We then praise Him for His ability to reign justly and live in a consistent attitude of thanksgiving towards our Heavenly Father. As a result, our wounds heal and we draw closer to God.
That’s what Thanksgiving is all about.
As you gather with friends and family, remember the truth of God’s blessings as you release your offenses with thanks.
Greek root word definitions taken from blueletterbible.org.
