FROM MEE TO YOU
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Psalm 100:1-5)
Thanksgiving is here, and it’s wonderful! We’ve got the classic spread: the apple pie, the football game on, and maybe a little family drama mixed in with the hugs. It's easy to feel cozy and relaxed.
But if history teaches us anything, it’s that the deepest, most powerful thank-you notes are rarely written from a place of total comfort. It’s a bit of a strange truth, isn’t it? When life is throwing major curveballs, people often choose to be grateful when bitterness might feel like the default setting.
Here’s the danger for us: when we live with so much abundance, it’s easy to just start taking things for granted. All those small, everyday gifts just become background noise. So, how do we grow a kind of gratitude that is genuine, strong, and actually lasts?
As we fill our plates this week, and then turn our eyes toward the hopeful anticipation of Advent, let’s think about what truly grateful people do.
1. Remembrance
A truly grateful heart simply refuses to forget how faithful God has been. Psalm 100 is a pure song of thanks, yet it doesn’t mention one specific big miracle. Maybe that's the point! It’s an invitation to show up with thanks while remembering our own valleys and hard times. Genuine gratitude doesn’t act like the struggle didn’t happen; it actually transforms the struggle. Our hardships stay with us, but they aren’t anchors of bitterness anymore. They become powerful reminders that even when things got tough, God gave us the strength to walk right through it. When we look back, we see that His constant presence was our greatest gift. Our past struggles become nothing less than milestones of His grace.
2. Humility
When we are truly thankful, we humbly acknowledge that we belong to God and everything we have is a gift from Him. Look at the heart of the Psalm again. We are called to “Worship the LORD with gladness,” and the reason is immediate: “Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” This is the beautiful core of Christian humility. It’s not about putting yourself down; it’s about the confident joy of knowing exactly who you are. We aren’t self-made; we are created. We aren’t lost; we are the sheep safe in His pasture.
This deep sense of belonging fills us with a quiet, joyful assurance that we are totally loved, completely known, and perfectly cared for.
3. Recognition
The highest point of our gratitude is recognizing and proclaiming that God’s goodness and mercy are forever. This is the unshakable foundation of the Psalm: “For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
The messes of this world—global worries, money stress, or personal loss—can be scary. But it is exactly because of this uncertainty that we have even more reason to celebrate Thanksgiving. Our thankfulness isn’t based on the day’s headlines; it’s based on the unchanging character of God.
This enduring faithfulness is the link that connects Thanksgiving right into Advent. Thanksgiving celebrates God’s faithfulness over the past year. Advent looks forward to the fulfillment of His faithfulness in the coming of Christ. The same persistent love that carried us through this year is the same divine love that was first wrapped up in a humble manger—the ultimate, most amazing gift.
As we choose to give thanks in remembrance, live with humility, and stand firm in the recognition of God’s goodness, our hearts become perfectly ready to welcome the Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love that the Advent season offers.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! May your heart be wide open to welcome the Light!
In His Love,
Pastor Mee
