‘Let us give thanks’

Minister Sharon McRann

“God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” (Genesis 1:31) One can truly understand why God felt that way ... especially at this time of year. Autumn is a special time of thanks giving. If we stop to enjoy all the various, glorious colours of autumn, we know we are truly blessed. I don’t think that Thanksgiving could have fallen at a better time of year. Giving thanks is something that should become a habit all year round, as we have many things to be thankful for. The beauty and wonder of nature, of course, is one of those things. Our relationships with family and friends, with colleagues and peers and even with our pets is another. Most important of all, we can be thankful for our relationship with God. I believe there is no thanksgiving without relationship and perhaps no true relationship without thanksgiving. The other day I felt chilly and I pulled out a shawl that a friend had had made for me. She gave it to me as a gift of gratitude for something I had done for her. It was a gift of thanksgiving for our relationship. As I put it on, I thought of how beautiful, soft and warm it was and I was thankful for both the shawl and for my friend. That was when I realized that true thanksgiving comes from our relationships. On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus came upon 10 lepers ... nine Jews and one Samaritan. They called out to Jesus to heal them and Jesus responded by sending them to the priest. On the way they were healed. The Samaritan quickly returned to Jesus and thanked him while the others went on their way. (Luke 17:11-19) The Samaritan remembered the one who had healed him and he gave thanks because he recognized the tremendous gift he had been given and he was made whole. I believe one cannot feel whole if one is not thankful. Wholeness comes through relationships ... with God and with other human beings. When we feel whole, we know that life is good even though it has its ups and downs ... and we are thankful for life with all its joys and sorrows. Relationship holds us up and gives us strength to face whatever comes our way. God’s presence and God’s voice come to us through human kindness and wisdom, as well as through prayer and awareness, and we rejoice in prayerful thanksgiving to our God. I was talking to a friend the other day. We are both “teetering” on the edge of our autumn years. She would say that I am much closer to it than she is since I’m about six months older. We thought about what age we would like to be instead and both came to the realization we are content with the age we are now. Too many years have gone by to want to start over and we are happy to enjoy the years that are left. Many of you who are reading this article are in the autumn of your lives. It is that time of life that’s filled with wisdom and beauty. You are the elders ... rejoice and be thankful for all you still have to offer. Life can be hard ... life can hurt, but let us rejoice in all we have been given, in our many relationships with family and friends and with others whom we have now forgotten. Let us be thankful for that special relationship we have with God who sustains and protects us and who loves us unconditionally - even when we forget to give thanks.