Thanks or Thanksgiving.

I was thinking back to the “First Thanksgiving” and how it came from those who had plenty sharing with those who were desperately in need.   It was characterized because of giving- the giving gave lots to be thankful for. I know my Thanksgiving  (and I am sure lots of other peoples) is usually more concerned about what food is going to be made and eaten.  How much more thankful were the pilgrims, receiving food they had not expected and were in great need of, as well as the Native Americans who were able to share and bless others out of the blessings of food they had. 

It is cool that Thanksgiving is made from two words- thanks and giving.  There would not have been a first Thanksgiving without the giving.  I have seen a lot of people mastering the “thanks” part this year- but not so much has been said about the giving.  Thanksgiving is equal parts thanks and giving… I know that this has challenged me to want to make my holidays more about the giving part because I have lots to be thankful for!

And its not that I am unthankful for things every other day of the year, but Thanksgiving is a nice time to sit back and reflect on the things to be thankful for in the big picture…

1.     In the midst of realizing how inconsistent I am with tendencies to be motivated by sleep or emotions or things that taste good- I am so thankful for God’s consistency.  In a world where everything keeps changing- few things last- curveballs are flying left & right- and there is a “latest and greatest” coming out every week I am thankful that He is ALWAYS there and constant- especially when I am not.  He hasn’t changed since the beginning of time as we know it.

2.     I am thankful for health and the education & skill of doctors.  After tearing my ACL and breaking my finger on the same day… going to lots of doctors… having surgery… wearing splints… and going through physical therapy I am very much so appreciative of God’s design in my body’s capabilities to heal- and the skills and wonders of technology to help fix us.

3.     I have a growing soft spot the older I get for animals.  I am especially thankful for my sweet dog and they way she sleeps.  I love when dogs curl up in little balls to sleep. It makes me smile.  (I wish I looked that cute when I slept!)

4.     With my grandmother passing away this year- I am so thankful for her life and legacy.  She raised two steadfast daughters and left an amazing legacy in her grandchildren to be hard workers and to live a blameless, upright and honest life… to be committed and live a life of prayer and service.

5.     I am still working through the backside of this one, but I have had a lot of friends get married this year.  I am very excited and thankful for the lives they are beginning together!  I am working on being more thankful as I realize it completely changes the dynamics of hanging out with them (my selfish care).

6.     I have a growing thankfulness for order.  So often I live in a state of chaos running around and making things happen on the fly.  They get done of course- but I am realizing how much I love the peace and the calmness that comes when I can think through some more things ahead of time (always being ready to chuck those plans out the window as life throws changes).

7.     Work- I am definitely thankful to have a job that I enjoy, where I can be challenged to grow and I have great coworkers.

Old Testament

So I had this little moment at work the other week- a co-worker was saying how hypocritical and violent the Old Testament was, especially compared to the peaceful Jesus of the New Testament- I was not involved in the conversation but it got me thinking…

I was aware of the differences between the Old and New Testaments but for some reason had never really put it to great lengths of thought.  This juxtaposition is so cool! What I realized is how God uses both Testaments to show the fullness of His love.  The Old without the New, and the New without the Old are incomplete.  God uses the Old Testament to show us his attitude towards sin- how He hates it and how in his presence not even the smallest amount of sin can be tolerated and how we need to deal with sin (annihilating entire towns, etc.).  He uses the New Testament not to contradict the Old, but to complete it.  God’s attitude towards sin does not change in the New Testament- he still feels the same exact way, however Jesus has paid the penalty through the sacrifice of his life.  Upon accepting Jesus’ sacrifice God no longer sees our sin upon us.

To look at the Testaments as separate entities can distort the full message.  Without understanding God’s attitude towards sin as seen in his response in the Old Testament diminishes Christ’s sacrifice in the New Testament…  To look at the New Testament and only focus on Christ’s love for us puts blinders on us to the full reality and weight of our sin as seen in the Old Testament.   I think this is part of the reason Jesus says, “If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead,” in Luke 16:31. Directly referring to Lazarus rising from the dead, but ultimately to himself rising from the dead, Jesus is making the point that people won’t believe and be saved by Him without understanding who God is and why his own sacrifice was needed (as shown by Moses and the Old Testament prophets).