I will not dispute that these are not the best of times. We seem likely soon to have a political leader that has more in common with King Herod than King David. We are, in turn, discovering that the COVID light at the end of the tunnel appears to be an oncoming train. Yet, the liturgy of our year, by which we devote times and seasons to specific emphases soon calls us to a day of thanksgiving, followed by weeks of feasting over the incarnation of our Lord and Savior. How do we manage the disparity?
By giving thanks and feasting over the incarnation of our Lord and Savior. Our Pilgrim forefathers rightly devoted time and energy to giving thanks to God for sustaining them in the new land. They went to that new land, however, that they might be free to worship their Savior. The winter before, when so many died agonizing deaths, they were still able to worship, and He was still their Savior. The hardships, like ours, were real. The unchanging reason for gratitude, however, was real also. The foundation of our thanksgiving isn’t comfort, health and prosperity but forgiveness, peace and adoption.
All of which came to us because Immanuel came to us. Is there anything in our contemporary and temporary hardships that should diminish our joy in His coming? Is there anything that suggests His promise to be with us always (Matt. 28:20) has been broken? Is there anything that frees us of our calling to be of good cheer (John 16:33) because He has already overcome the world? Will we, who profess to believe that three days after He was murdered our Lord walked out of the tomb alive, never to die again, believe that He has the whole world in His scarred hands?
Please do not misunderstand. It is not my intention to deny the reality of hardships. Jesus Himself wept over the death of Lazarus. We ought to weep over the scourge of COVID. But we must also, like Martha, believe that those who have passed will be raised on the last day (John 11:24). Death and sickness are still with us, but they are passing.
Nor is it my intention to deny the sorrow of watching a culture become increasingly bloodthirsty and hostile to Jesus and His bride. I suspect that the same shepherds who were told of the birth of Jesus and rejoiced later learned of the murder of the infants of Bethlehem under Herod’s orders, and wept. The political situation in this country is indeed growing increasingly hostile to the Christian faith. Jesus, however, told us this was coming. Indeed, “Be of good cheer, for I have already overcome the world” is immediately preceded by this warning,
Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.”
We are to count it all joy. We are to give thanks in all things, to learn to live faithfully whether abased or abounding. How do we do it? We remember what we are due in ourselves, what we have been given in Christ and all that we have been promised. Give thanks. And rejoice.