Hi Faith Family,
This film is a film noir, a black and white Coen Brothers movie that is quite interesting, if you like the style. I have always thought the title of this movie to be intriguing: “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” It’s quite expressive of the lead character in the movie. I’m not trying to give you movie rental advice over the holiday, however. I’m using the movie title to introduce the upcoming holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving Eve. On this Thanksgiving occasion, it is usual to give thanks for all the blessings you have received. I’ve noticed on Facebook that a number of people have been writing something special for which they are thankful each day until Thanksgiving. What’s on your list? A place to stay, enough food to eat, clothing, a job or school, a sweet set of wheels. If you are slipping your thanks-giving into high gear, you get to the next level: health, family, good neighbors, happiness. Overdrive is when you note spiritual blessings: forgiveness, peace of heart, God’s presence in your life, assurance of heaven as your home because of Jesus’ perfect life and innocent death to remove your sin.
But what about reverse? What about giving thanks for things that are not there? The saying goes, “out of sight, out of mind.” Sadly, we can fall prey to this. When we pray about some difficulty or sadness, it takes an effort to remember and return thanks to God. Think of those 10 sickies on the road who called out to Jesus. When they got back on the road to get checked out, they realized they were healed . . . yet only one returned to say thank you to the One who had blessed through removal. Only that foreigner thought to come back to Jesus and give thanks to Him for what wasn’t there.
As we celebrate another Thanksgiving Day, we are thankful for all of God’s blessings. Most of all, in Jesus we are thankful for God’s forgiveness for our sinfulness, betrayed by the sins of forgetful and shallow thankfulness.
Yet today, I challenge you to be thankful for things that aren’t there. Imagine what difficulties or hardships the Lord has held back from your life. Think for a moment of past difficulties or disasters through which the Lord has carried you. Think of past challenges of health or tragedy the Lord has used to bring you closer to Him. Give thanks to God for the things that aren’t there.
Psalm 50:15 is a verse I have held close in my heart for many years and I know I am not alone. God says:
“Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you and you will glorify me.”
I’m so thankful to know most of you have had specific opportunities to follow the process God outlines in the verse above. You and I have had opportunities to give thanks for what isn’t there, because God has taken it away.
On my early walk this very morning, we were almost home when I noticed a rock in my right shoe. I was just going to wait until I got home to take it out, but the little stone was really quite painful. I stopped, put my hand on my walking partner’s shoulder, and removed the stone from my shoe. I can’t tell you how wonderful those first steps were—completely pain free! Yet I had forgotten about it by the time I reached my mailbox, a mere 50 yards later.
Take the time today to thank God for what isn’t there: an irritation, headache, difficulty, health issue, hardship, sadness or disappointment which the Lord in his gracious mercy has removed from your life. My prayer is that the Lord will bless our special opportunity to give thanks to Him, even as we continue our lifestyle of continuous thanksgiving.
Prayer idea: Thank God for what you have in your life . . . and also for what isn’t there.
Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
--Pastor Dan
