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A Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

Psalm 116:12-19 12  What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?
13  I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,
14  I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.
15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.
16  O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.
17  I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.
18  I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,
19  in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!

I love Thanksgiving for so many reasons.
It's a celebration of Family.
It's a celebration without much commercialism - ok, except Food - lots of food!
It's a celebration of a Grace Act - to be Thankful.

 Yet the Psalmist reminds us that it is at times a "sacrifice".

 One of the young couples in our church this last weekend lost her father to a heart attack.
A guy in our church has been without work for a number of months.
A young couple I know struggle with finances and debt.
Someone I know goes through their first holiday season divorced.

 Death, Disease, Divorce, Debt
Finances, Family tensions, Questioning Faith.

 Sometimes we celebrate thanksgiving as a sacrifice.

The Psalmist says "I will lift up the cup of salvation..."
It's his way of saying "I will toast the Lord for his Salvation"...

 Not because all is good, but because God is good.

 My wish is that your Thanksgiving will be filled with Joy, laughter, family and fun...and if it is saddened by loss, then my prayer is that God will fill you up with His Peace and Presence.

 Peace to you and Happy Thanksgiving

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