Thanksgiving Day and Hannukah

 

If you do not live in the US, these two celebrations may not mean much to you. However, I mention them because this year, on Thursday – November 28, 2013 -, they both fall on the same day. The last time this happened was in 1888 and, according to some calculations, it won’t happen again before 77,798 years! There is even a special word that has been created for the occasion: Thanksgivukkah! But before going any further, let us look at the origin/meaning of these feasts.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621 and lasted three days. It was a narrative about an arduous journey to escape religious persecution for freedom in a new land, the establishment of a democratic charter and the sense of Divine providence that carried them through their plight. On Oct. 3, 1789, George Washington proclaimed the first official and national Thanksgiving Day; but it is only since 1863, during the Civil War, that Thanksgiving became a federal and public holiday in the U.S. when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."

Hanukkah aka the Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Greeks (2nd century BCE). King Antiochus IV had previously ordered the service in the temple to stop. It thus symbolises the spiritual resistance of Judaism to heathen assimilation. As the Maccabees rededicated the desecrated Temple, a small quantity of oil, enough to last for only one day, miraculously burned for eight, which is why Jews light the candles of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, for eight nights. The first of these nights falls this year this Thursday, on November 28.

Having all this in mind, let’s use this opportunity to remind ourselves of a few things:

1) Christ Jesus acquired us a victory by His blood in order to call us out of darkness into His marvellous Light. As the two feasts both celebrate religious freedom we must equally resist assimilation by popular culture which ultimate goal is to impede us from practicing our faith. We live in the world, but, as Jesus said, we are not from the world and must constantly be transformed by the renewal of our mind, that we may discern the perfect will of God. As the Message reads: Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you (Rom 12:2).

2) We are the light of the world and the lamp of our candlestick, our inner light, should not shine on Sundays only or for eight continuous days: it should shine till death. We do need to realise that when our light does not shine, a whole part of the world – our sphere of influence – is thus covered with darkness. We no longer only belong to ourselves, we are responsible for others.

3) In spite of its vicissitudes, life is the most precious treasure that we’ll ever have down here. Let’s give thanks to GOD for life, for HIM, for our loved ones and acquaintances etc. one just needs to listen to the news (plane crashes, car accidents, murders, earthquakes, floods, kidnappings, wars, fire, people living in slums and from garbage, famine etc.) in order to acknowledge that we have more than enough reasons to be grateful. As long as GOD extends your lease on earth, give HIM thanks, enjoy it and honour HIM. It may also be a good time to read one of my former posting, “Dayenu: You are more than enough”.

Have a great week in CHRIST JESUS, The LORD.

For those who are interested, here is a copy of George Washington’s proclamation of thanksgiving:

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

The price of love…

 

Do you remember my posting ‘GOD is love’ where I wrote that though I can receive – and I actually gladly receive – the love of Christ, I could simply not conceive/fathom the love that the LORD has shown for me/us on the Cross? Well, the same love, which has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit (Rom 5:5), can sometimes lead us to do things which are –humanly- unconceivable. Elisabeth Elliot is the perfect illustration of the type of actions and sacrifices that this love which has been poured into our hearts is capable of unleashing when it is not restrained.

Elisabeth was born in Belgium in 1926 from missionary parents. In 1952, she also went to Ecuador to work as a missionary. It was there that she met Jim Elliot and they married in 1953 in the city of Quito, Ecuador. Jim had always hoped to have the opportunity to enter the territory of an unreached tribe. The Aucas (now called Huaorani) were in that category -- a fierce group whom no one had succeeded in meeting without being killed. After the discovery of their whereabouts, Jim and four other missionaries entered Auca territory. On January 8, 1956, after a friendly contact with three of the tribe, they were speared to death and their bodies were dumped in a river. Jim died leaving a young widow behind and a 10 months old baby daughter.

Any other woman would have left that ‘cursed/wicked’ country and gone back home, telling the LORD: “After all, I’ve tried.” But not Elisabeth. She remained in Ecuador and continued to work with another Indian tribe. Then, in October 1958, after learning their language through two Huaorani women living amongst the Indian tribe she was working with, Elisabeth took her three year old daughter and went to live with the Huaorani, the very people who had killed her husband. She spent two years with them! To those who could not understand her ‘mad’ decision, she said:

“The love of Christ constrains us. There is no other motivation for missionary service that is going to survive the blows of even the first year. You do it for Him.”

This is how far love for Jesus will carry you. With hindsight, we can always say that she had to do it so that her husband would not have died in vain. Or that it was not good for evil to triumph and people to be too scared to go into that tribe again. Or even that love and grace much more abounded where sin and evil abounded; but all this would be a bit too cheap and easy to say afterwards, wouldn’t it?

From 1988 to 2001, she could be heard on a daily radio program, Gateway to Joy, produced by the Good News Broadcasting Association of Lincoln, Nebraska. She almost always opened the program with the phrase, "'You are loved with an everlasting love,' – that's what the Bible says – 'and underneath are the everlasting arms.' This is your friend, Elisabeth Elliot ..."

Sometimes, we wrongly think that it is only 15th or 18th century missionaries who were capable of such abnegation. Elisabeth Elliot was born in 1926 and is still very much alive. As I write, here are the latest postings one her Facebook page:

• “God will not protect you from anything that will make you more like Jesus.” (Oct. 22, 2013)
• “The way we live ought to manifest the truth of what we believe. A messy life speaks of a messy and incoherent faith.” (Sept. 25, 2013)

Have a brilliant Christ-love-filled week!

Keep your faith!

 

Lk 22:31-32, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers."

We do not like pain and testing. If we could always have it easy, then we would be more than happy. However, we live in a fallen world and suffering is part of (daily) life. I am not going to be metaphysical about the existence of evil or the devil: reason allows me to, but faith advises against. Furthermore, I personally do not see how knowing why GOD created the devil will help me cope better with the death of a loved one, cancer, rape or a tsunami. Therefore, I can do without all the explanations today, knowing that, in any case, I will know everything one day (1Cor 13:9-12); and when I cannot ignore the reality of evil and suffering, my faith comes to my rescue.

Indeed, Paul reminds us that the temptations/testing that we go through are common to man. There is nothing exceptional about them. It is just… life… It is therefore useless comparing our predicament with that of others because, what seems terrible to me may not be a big deal for someone else and what I have easily overcome may be someone else’s biggest weakness/stumbling block. To everyone their grace; and this is why Paul goes on to say that GOD will not let us be tempted beyond our ability, but will also provide the way of escape along with the temptation, so that we can endure it (1Co 10:13). Most of the time, when we quote this verse, we stop here and yet, Paul immediately goes on saying: Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry (vs. 14). In other words, if we do not deal with the testing the right way, we are in great danger of falling into idolatry – i.e. giving in to, submitting to and serving anything other than GOD.

Now, I can better understand Jesus’ words to Peter: I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. He doesn’t say: “Don’t worry Peter. My Father has forbidden Satan to sift you guys.” No. It is rather: “You will go through hell, but that’s not a big deal. It is your faith that concerns Me the most. I know it is not strong enough and so, I have prayed that it may not fail and you may not fall into idolatry. Regardless of what is coming, it is important that you remember that if you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you. When you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour – your Jesus. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. You are precious in my eyes, I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you (Is 43:2-5)… Only watch your faith. Do not lose it because of a challenge. Instead of moaning and crying, think, for GOD has already provided a way out. After you have overcome the Adversary, strengthen the remnant – of brethren – which is about to die (Rev 3:2).”

Same thing in Smyrna (Rev 2:10). The LORD told them: “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” He did not promise them to keep the devil at bay, but exhorted them to be faithful even unto death - i.e. to hold onto their faith even if they had to die for it. I am sincerely convinced that if die we must, then it is better to die in Christ than outside of Him. Do not let any temptation or transitory testing rob you of your crown: Keep your faith in GOD: He is Faithful.

Have a wonderblessed week in HIM!

PS: After writing this posting I stumbled upon a trailer of an upcoming movie which reflects everything I’ve written here. You can watch it at http://www.godsnotdeadthemovie.com/ and also visit their Facebook page.