Thanks / Giving: Intro

Just as a well-aimed arrow soars further and faster when pulled back with force, so too can our goals achieve greater heights with careful preparation. In this reflection, I will begin our journey of uncovering the spiritual significance of Thanksgiving and Christmas, and how these holidays can inspire personal growth and a deeper connection with God.

Journaling Out Loud

Have you ever felt like your thoughts were trapped inside a locked journal, unable to be shared or understood? I've decided to unlock that journal and share my thoughts with others. Through this two-month series, I'll be sharing personal reflections and goal-setting strategies to help capture the essence of 2024 and distill it into a catalyst for connection, personal growth, and achievement. By sharing my journey, I hope to inspire others to pursue their own creative endeavors and live more intentionally. As we embrace the end-of-the-year mindset, let's connect on a deeper level and grow together.

Challenging the Spirit of the Seasons

Growing up, Thanksgiving and Christmas held a special place in my heart. As a child of very modest beginnings, these holidays were filled with simple joys: family meals, laughter, and the anticipation of practical gifts. Growing, the focus on material gifts had shifted, becoming more banal over time, Now, as an adult Christian, I challenged the conventional spirit of the seasons. I yearn for a deeper connection with their spiritual significance, seeking to understand the true meaning behind these traditions. I want to appreciate the divine purpose they serve, and to experience their transformative power of gratitude and love. It's time to rediscover the true essence of these holidays, focusing on gratitude, love, and spiritual connection. 

Ultimately, I desire to see these holidays as opportunities to celebrate the beauty and brilliance of God's most wondrous creation: mankind.

Practicum

Wisdom is knowledge capable of creating a life well lived. To truly embody wisdom, we must not merely accumulate information but transform it through understanding and experience. Romans 12:2 encourages us to be renewed by the Word of God, testing its truth and discerning His perfect will. Our cultural traditions and mindsets, while valuable, should always be examined through the lens of Scripture and the living Word of God within us. Ultimately, God reveals His truth, and we are responsible for receiving and stewarding it. 

The end of the year invites us to pause and reflect on the past, while also looking forward to the future. These holidays, with their rich traditions and spiritual significance, can serve as a powerful catalyst for personal growth and renewal. As we step into 2025, let's embrace the lessons learned from the past year and approach the future with hope and purpose. By setting clear goals, taking consistent action, and cultivating a deeper spiritual connection, we can unlock our full potential and make a positive impact on the world.

2025 Goals

For 2025, I'm setting my sights on several key goals that align with my faith and personal aspirations. I plan to consistently journal to cultivate self-awareness and spiritual growth. Writing a book has long been a dream of mine, and I believe it's an opportunity to share my insights and inspire others. I'm also committed to completing a Bible Reading Challenge to deepen my understanding of God's Word. Finally, I hope to launch a non-profit organization to make a tangible difference in the world. These goals are not set in stone, and I'm open to God's guidance and our discoveries as we discuss and explore. I'm excited to share my journey with you and invite you to join me in setting and achieving your own goals.

Ending the Year Strong

Each Monday through the end of the year, we’ll discuss 4 articles related to Thanksgiving and 4 articles related to Christmas to draw out the deeper meanings of these holidays and how we can use the wisdom threaded within their meanings.

As we conclude this year, let's reflect on the spiritual lessons embedded within the traditions of Thanksgiving and Christmas. By deepening our connection with God and others, we can approach the future with renewed hope and purpose. As we step into 2025, let's embrace the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead, trusting in God's guidance and provision.

Why Trials and Suffering?

"The Weight of the World" by jawavs [CC BY-ND 2.0]

This is the kind of stuff that few want to talk about, but it's so good, even necessary if we really want to mature into the kind of Christians that can stand in the storms of life. This is Part 1 in a series of articles called What Are We Here For? 

Suffering... Because God Loves Us

Rom 8:28 AMP We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.

2Co 4:15-18 AMP For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God. [16] Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. [17] For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory [beyond all measure, excessively surpassing all comparisons and all calculations, a vast and transcendent glory and blessedness never to cease!], [18] Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting), but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting.

Most times, it's really hard to look for the blessings in our trials, especially while going through them. And yet, understanding that God is preparing us for something better, something "deathless and everlasting" is an incredible thought that's daunting on one hand, and completely liberating on the other. 

We Are Not of This World

God is calling us out of this world to dwell with Him forever. The choices we make while we're here provide both access and determine reward of our hereafter, the invisible things that are deathless and everlasting. He's already prepared a place for us (John 14.13). He kicked the reason for hell existing out of heaven, and so He certainly will not allow us to dwell with Him if we have not shed the things off of us which got the original usurper exiled in the first place. 

And, ladies and gentlemen, that is the real reason for life. It also explains why God sent Jesus - to show that we couldn't get it right, the Holy Spirit - to help us get it right, and His Holy servants - to show that, for those willing to do it His way, the right way, we can overcome and make it. This viewpoint is a bit simplistic, but completely reasonable in light of the fact that there are only two places to spend eternity: with God, or without Him. 

Yes, trials and sufferings hurt. But after awhile, when we start look at our trials and suffering through the lens of the Word, we start to realize why it hurts. It's because we're dying to the desires of the flesh. Death pangs. Paul, the 2Cor 4.17 calls our sufferings light, momentary afflictions. In view of eternity, certainly true. We've gone through situations before that were extraordinarily painful and seemed to go on and on. But on this side of the trial, we find that it did have an ending, and as we draw closer to Christ, some often find peace and solace in understanding why they had to go through that thing. This happens as we learn to consider and look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen (vs 18). 

I looked around at my new apartment a few days ago, thought about my fiancé, my church and friends, and the things in my life, and for a moment I felt like I've made it. But there was a restless unsettled feeling in my gut, and over the next couple of hours, I just sat there and dwelt upon that feeling. And it eventually came to me, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul? The unsettled feeling was a clear understanding that without constantly remembering that it was God who has provided all these things to me, the "everything" that I'd gained would be futile, empty, meaningless. And even worse, by coming to trust in them, I would only be setting myself up for a reservation in hell, away from God for eternity. In understanding this, I am able to count every trial a joy, as it makes manifest the things of my heart which would keep me from God. 

Jas 1:2-4 AMP  Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.  [3]  Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.  [4]  But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

No, our trials, our sufferings are to make us ready for an eternity with God. If we understand that, then happy are we if we embrace our trials knowing that this is the pain that truly can bring gain. 

Ecc 12:13-14 AMP All has been heard; the end of the matter is: Fear God [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is] and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man [the full, original purpose of his creation, the object of God's providence, the root of character, the foundation of all happiness, the adjustment to all inharmonious circumstances and conditions under the sun] and the whole [duty] for every man. [14] For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good or evil. [Matt. 12:36; Acts 17:30, 31; Rom. 2:16; I Cor. 4:5.]

The Flavors of Friendship

When I woke up this morning I performed one of my usual rituals of making a Mikeaccino. It's like a cappuccino, with my own little twists - and the result is usually heaven-sent (scent?), for surely the Lord has taught my hands to war!

Cappuccino starts with espresso - really strong coffee with frothed milk poured on top. What drives a true espresso-based drink is the espresso itself. Espresso is really strong, and when you first make it, the smell can actually be offensive. Frothed milk is milk that's been heated and then aerated to the point of having foam (without the foam, it's just a latte - yup, that's the big difference). For sweetness, I largely use sugar-free syrup. Though it's sweet, it can also be offensive because of the aftertaste.

And yet, it is the quality of each, prepared in the right way, added in the right measure, that brings the appearance, texture, odor, and taste to the point of being sublime.

People rarely appreciate things in a singular fashion over long periods of time. Even a good cup of black coffee, once tasted and appreciated (there are those rare people who enjoy their coffees black), becomes a candidate for some sort of exotic drink infusion (especially by those of us who don't particularity enjoy our coffees black). The coffee is good but we just feel that it has certain elements that when mixed with something else, it not only highlights a particular quality of the drink, but elevates other qualities of what it's placed within. The whole, when mixed with understanding and skill, becomes an entirely new thing with new potential to provide maximum sensory and emotional fulfillment.

Non coffee lovers may not get that picture, but surely there are those who enjoy a good apple pie or cheesecake, fried chicken, mixed vegetables, or lasagna? All of these are blends, and maybe you get it now...

While sipping on this morning's delight giving creation, I began to wander... does my ability to taste the greatness of cappuccino reflect (even a little bit) of God's ability to enjoy us when we come together? Just humor me, OK? So after a few scriptures bubbled up to my mind, I searched the internet for "sweet smelling sacrifices," and upon finding an interesting page, I noted these.

How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured over Aaron’s head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And there the LORD has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting. - Ps 133

"For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” - Mat 18.20

[So] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. - Eph 5.2

[For] There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. - John 15.13

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. - Rom 12.1

And the LORD was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice - Gen 8.21a

[So] thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume.  - 2Cor 2.14-16a

I think of how quiet a house (usually) is when only one child is home. And then when another comes, the house is filled with the laughter and squeals of joy and the exasperations of (usually feigned) annoyances - but their friendship, their kinship, is evident as the scent of the love they have for one another fills the house. And then the third child comes in, a dash of sassy, a dollop of trash talking, but cupfuls of sweet loving - and the aroma in the house takes on a whole new flavor.

And I am grateful for God sharing just a whiff of His meal with me, a love feast which delights my soul and reminds me of His goodness. I am humbled at just being able to share the crumbs from this table, but then He reminds me that He has given me a seat at the table. I open my heart at the feast and the flavors of friendship through the lives which God has mixed together permeate my senses and overwhelm me with a supernatural understanding.

At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me [...] They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. - Phil 4.18

And I am full, and I am satisfied, and I am at peace.

For I have tasted, and seen, that the Lord? He is good. And His mercy endures. Forever.