Do you remember what you were doing on Thursday 23rd April 2020 at 8 pm.
Chances are you were clapping for the N.H.S. What started as a moment of gratitude on 26th March swelled into a wave of appreciation that flowed across the nation. It was one of the positive side effects of the pandemic. We began to see those that served us whom we had previously taken for granted. What was previously just their job, became something they did for us. The bin men were collecting our rubbish for us. The shop keepers were keeping our cupboards full for us. Looking back to that time, have you ever said thank you as much or been as grateful? Where has that gone?
Harvest used to be a big deal.
I’m thinking about thankfulness at a time when traditionally churches celebrate Harvest. Harvest used to be a big deal for everyone. Think back to a generation in this country when a good harvest was the difference between eating or starving. With no government benefits, poor harvest meant disaster for you and your family. A bad harvest was felt across the whole community. Bad harvests were mostly the result of poor weather conditions. Crops need rain and sunshine but if the combination and timing of either is wrong the harvest is ruined. So unsurprisingly then when the harvest is “…safely gathered in, Ere the winter storms begin” it is a time of rejoicing.
But who do you thank? We want to thank the farmers but who do the farmers thank? Many farmers in the past went to church and thanked the Lord of the Harvest. Growing up in a church with many farmers I noticed that even those farmers who seldom attended church were there for the harvest service. They recognised that so much of what they rejoiced in was outside of their control and they needed to direct their thankfulness somewhere. Even if it was in some cases begrudging thanks or superstition thanks, it was thanks directed outside of themselves and their efforts.
Like the farmers, instinctively we know that life is a gift and we need to thank someone for it.
So who or what do we thank? Here’s a few possibilities:
Thank your lucky stars: As Zac Efron sings in The Greatest Showman “What if we could rewrite our stars…” but by the end of the song realise that this is just wishful thinking, how can they rewrite their stars? The stars control their lives not the other way around. A romantic twist to an ancient belief. We tip our hats to our lucky stars and be glad fate is smiling on us, this time.
Or as the woman in Lagan park said to me one morning, “It’s a beautiful day, Thank Goodness.” For goodness sake who or what is it? It feels like a shadow of God. As if he’s left the room but the aroma of him remains. Just the slightest memory of the One who is Goodness with a capital G. We shoot the arrow at his direction but hit his shadow.
What about “Thank heavens”? What was once short hand for thanking God, falls short of it’s destination. It’s as if someone asked how do you get to London and you say go to England. That’s all you give them. Vague, unsatisfactory directions. Like sending a thank you letter (do you remember those relic of the past) but failing to put any details on the envelope.
Thank God. Aha now we’re in the right territory, surely this is where our thanks should be directed -towards God. But it depends. This could well be like many of the others we have looked at- just an expression of relief that something bad didn’t happen when we thought it would. A leftover phrase from a different time. Like a disconnected pipe in an old cottage we now hang our coat on. Once important but now thank God repurposed.
None of these hit the spot. They all like crooked arrows fall well short of the target. And this is a serious problem. Thankfulness is not an add on it’s an essential. God is deserving of all our thanks and praise. A mark of our rebellion against him is to fail to thank him (Romans 1:21). We live this life that he has given us, soaking in his goodness without as much as a nod towards him. He is the Lord who pours himself out in love and we shrug our shoulders. One day we will have to account for what we have been given. But what has he given?
God is not a shabby giver, a cheap skate. He’s the giver of Life. Nor is he finished when he gives that.
Imagine being a child on Christmas morning coming down to presents stacked under the Christmas tree. All with your name on them. Your eyes light up; wow these are all yours. “Thank you Mum and Dad” (though let’s be honest you may not say that, you’re likely to give someone else the credit- but that’s a story for another day). Half an hour later you’re knee deep in wrapping paper, enjoying all your gifts when your mum takes you by the hand and guides you outside where they show you the biggest gift they’re ever given you. Your head’s in a spin. This is yours, unbelievable.
Having given us the world, God takes us by the hand and shows us his greatest gift. The gift of his Son, Jesus. Given for us. What’s our response? To let go of his hand and return to the gifts under the tree shunning his generous kindness. All the more shocking when we realise that he's not giving to a friend but to his enemy. We who are deserving of God anger and punishment get instead his love and forgiveness through the Gift of His Son. He died for us. God is the giver of every good gifts and Jesus is his greatest gift.
Thank you Lord God for your unmatched kindness in giving us life and breath and everything. We live in a world that has been wonderfully crafted by you for us to thrive and enjoy. Our eyes are thrilled with the colours and beauty and our taste buds revel in the flavours. We live in such beauty and abundance. Forgive us Lord for taking it for granted. Yet Lord the beauty of our world fades into the background when we see the wonder of your Son. Even the Sun in it eye hurting splendour is but a shadow when placed beside the Glory of your Son. Created splendour fades beside Jesus’ eternal splendour. “all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things and in Him all things hold together” We thank you Father that Christ died for our sins, once for all, the righteous one for us the unrighteous to bring us to yourself. He did this for us. What a gift!
Lord may our hearts overflow with thanks to you for your indescribable gift. In Jesus Name amen.
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