Between Thanksgivings and Christmas

Canadian and American Thanksgivings for 2011 are past. We find ourselves between Thanksgivings and Christmas. Glory in the highest. We live between thanks and praise. It is for many a time of the year to let our thanks for what has been done to spill over into praise for the doer. We are especially mindful of others by whom, in their goodness and kindness, we are the beneficiaries: friends, family members, work supervisors, faithful employees, honest public servants, those who serve in the military, health care professionals, pastors, librarians, and many others. When we reflect on their acts on our behalf, it is easy for thanks to spill over into praise. Praise spoken becomes a much deserved expression of affirmation. Too often the grace and goodness shown to us by others can go unrecognized and unacknowledged. This season between Thanksgiving and Christmas is a time to generously express our thanks and praise.

The Bible has something to say about thanks and praise. In Psalm 100, verse 4, we read "Come unto his gates with thanksgiving. Enter his gates with praise." I truly love this brief passage. This is one of the several Psalms of ascent, songs sung by pilgrims ascending up to Jerusalem to worship. Wherever you are, you go up (ascend) to Jerusalem and up to the Temple mount. This is a picture of upward movement into intimacy with God. The Temple has several gates and courts leading eventually to the most intimate place of all, the Holy of Holies. Thanks moves us through the various gates into ever increasing proximity to and intimacy with God. Thanks to God for what he has done moves us through each gate into the next court. Thanks spills over into praise to God for who he is, a God who does great things: blesses, sustains, strengthens, gives good things to his children, and so on. Elsewhere in the Bible it says "God inhabits the praises of his people." We thank him increasingly for what he has done, is doing, and will by faith continue to do in the days ahead. Our thanks spill over into praise to God when our reflection on God's acts on our behalf reveals his character of perfect (holy) love for us. In response to God's grace, we praise Him. God responds and honours our praise by drawing even closer. Remember God also says "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you."

Between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we find ourselves between thanks and praise. We see the deep, intimate possibilities we may pursue in relation to our personal intimacy with God. It is our abiding privilege, our remarkable opportunity to be rooted in God's past faithfulness and yet reaching with thanks and praise for even more of his grace in the days ahead! With thankful hearts, we praise God from whom all blessings flow!