Day 44 - Issue 23
Isaiah 12:4 NLT
In that wonderful day you will sing: “Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!”
Due to her American family background, Jayne always celebrates Thanksgiving here, without the benefit of the holiday. We dress the house with autumn colours and set a table for ourselves and guests.
Once we sit down to the meal, it is not just the eating and friendship that counts. God enjoys pride of place at our table. At some point during the meal, we will invite everyone to state something that they are grateful for from the year now behind us all; something for which we can give thanks to God for. We have had those without any faith in God participate and of course they have the option of sharing or not. Yet, the majority do and have little problem when we then go on and offer a general prayer of thanks for all God has done in the year.
A little later during this meal, we pause again, this time to identify one thing we are looking to God for in this year ahead. Often we will then ask the person next to the one making their request to pray for it, once all requests are shared. Also these requests we write up on a book so that we can return to see how God acted a year from now at the following Thanksgiving. After all, we want to remain committed to seeing how God takes hold of these prayers in our lives.
In these two simple ways, while we enjoy a fun time together, we make known God’s deeds publicly and we also “call on his name” (NRSV), just as the prophet Isaiah suggests. Not everyone will be at the following year’s meal, yet we seek to find out how their request has fared over the twelve months.
Finally, given this is at the start of Advent, it offers a celebration that is not confused with present exchange and the other aspects of the Christmas season that can all too easily hide Jesus from view. It is a meal during which we celebrate life, friendship, our shared humanity and include God in a direct way.
QUESTION: What prayers has God answered over the past year?
PRAYER: Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness and love.
