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Thanks be to God!
We end each of our worship services with this response. But for what are we thanking God? Are we thankful that a long worship service is over? Are we grateful for talented musicians who offer their work as gifts to God that lift us up as we listen and sing? Is our gratitude focused on having a beautiful building in which to gather and worship? Perhaps we’re thankful that we made it through a service without our children acting up. Or that we didn’t fall asleep during the sermon. Or that now we can get on with our day.
The month of November seems to be a “perfect storm” of occasions for which we can give thanks to God. All Saints Day (November 1st) is a time when we remember those loved ones who have died. During worship on All Saints Sunday (November 3rd), we celebrated their memory and offered thanks to God for the impact those saints have had on us.
Two days later, we engaged in one of the great revolutionary acts of democratic
governance—Election Day. Too often we’ve heard about low turnout rates and despair at
finding candidates that rally our spirits, yet in many places in this world people look to our
system with hope and inspiration. So, we give thanks to God for living in such liberty, even if we often times take it for granted.
During the following week comes Veterans Day – the day set aside to honor those living
military veterans for their courage and sacrifice in serving their nation (Memorial Day is the day to honor those who have died in service to their country). On Veterans Day we give thanks to God for those who selflessly offered themselves for our common defense, regardless of the social, political, or economic origins or rationale for such conflict. It is partly due to their devotion that we have so much for which to be thankful on November 11 th (which also happens to be Martin Luther’s birthday!).
There are probably many other events that happened in November that draw out our gratitude, but it is also the month with a whole day dedicated (by act of Congress, no less) to giving thanks “to the Judeo-Christian God at the end of the harvest season.” (Wikipedia -“Thanksgiving”) But Thanksgiving Day has evolved into something more than just a harvest festival. We give thanks to God for all the blessings in our lives – health, home, family, opportunities, prosperity – all things that allow us to live fully and abundantly (although the orgiastic food binge that takes place usually has a tempering affect on our good feelings!).
So, to our first question: Why do we proclaim “Thanks be to God!” after worship? Apart from all the other things that we rightly should be grateful for in our lives, each Sunday we once again are assured of God’s grace and love for us, mediated through the wisdom and comfort of his Word and through the means of grace in Baptism and Holy Communion. We give thanks to God because, in the midst of all the trappings of life here in Virginia, we are reminded that God is the source of all our blessings and the hope for our future. Through Christ, we are restored to a right relationship with God, to a reserved yet wholly undeserved spot at the heavenly banquet. In spite of our misgivings, our petty grudges, our sharp words and uncaring thoughts, God repeatedly offers us a place at his table of grace. What better response can there be than “Thanks be to God!”
Shalom.
Pr. Mark
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