26 November 2020, Anno Domini
Thanksgiving Day
2020
I |
T is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. (Lamentations 3:22-24)
We are faced with another Thanksgiving in which we have much to be thankful. For what have we to be thankful? First, we have exalted one to public office who defended the unborn, who restored the mention of Christ to the public record, and who lifted the unbecoming yoke of censorship from off the troubled shoulders of His people. This was a blessing which resulted from the Spirit of God which acted through the conscience of the voters – and it has lasted for FOUR years! That is much for which to be thankful.
Now we face a new period that is less promising of religious liberty, but more abundant in opportunities to demonstrate manly and courageous faith. Shall we meet the test?
Our liberties may seem to be in jeopardy from evil forces let loose in the world at Eden, but which grow more intense as the age of faith is about to culminate in long-awaited victory for the saints of God. Satan, from the beginning, has desired to destroy the man which God made at the beginning. He has mastered many sinister plans to accomplish that result – sodomy, abortion, unlimited wars, famine, and even diseases that his agents have devised in the laboratory setting. These seem overwhelming to man, but not to the Christian man and woman whose hearts are stayed on Christ.
We live in a bewildering time in which good has been called evil, and evil has been called good. The lines of distinction in the social & moral contract are being blurred for the purpose of making the objectives of that Old Serpent successful. But they can never succeed as long as there is one believer who places his trust in God and stands on that trust.
We are engaged in a spiritual war of growing intensity. It has intensified from the beginning until today. There will be casualties of battle, but resurrections of promise. Yet, God will preserve for Himself a remnant of His people as a constant testimony against wickedness upon the earth.
This Thanksgiving, we must prepare our hearts in thanksgiving for past blessings and future hopes. We have survived another year as a blessed nation among the nations of the earth. We still enjoy a measure of God-given liberties which were codified in our founding Documents. We still have our beloved families and friends. We have hands and minds with which to press the righteous battle forward. We will be thankful, not only for past blessings, but future ones as well.
Just this past week, I was faced with a very sobering realization that my loved ones stood in grave danger. I immediately took the matter to the Lord and all fear and threat vanished. It made me feel, and rightly so, that God had granted me such tremendous gifts in preserving my loved ones from the perceived threat. It struck me as an absolute truth that I should have been more thankful for those blessings BEFORE facing a threat of loss. We all have blessings innumerable today for which we do not even think to return thanks to God. Our homes, our firesides, our food and clothing, our means of employment or livelihood, and even our pets.
Our Lord Jesus Christ even observed the obligation to return thanks for the five loaves and two fishes before feeding the five thousand. Should we not do the same.
I pray for our nation during this increasing time of peril. I pray that we can respond to every threat to our freedoms in a Christian manner, and that the Church will once again become a Fortress to proclaim truth , and condemn sin, in our midst.
God bless us each and all this Thanksgiving and may we be blessed to celebrate in future years. Pray for America that she will remain a Nation under God!
A Happy & Blessed Thanksgiving!
Jerry L. Ogles
Presiding Bishop
