Corona Devo 624

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, (7) rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.  –Colossians 2:6-7


Roasted turkey swimming in gravy, mountains of mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie piled high in whipping cream...these are a few of our favorite things on Thanksgiving.


But the prep of them can take a little out of us. And the cleaning of the house/ourselves/family/language/"politics"...everything for the gatherings can take a little more out of us. And pretty soon, the intangible "thankfulness" that should be the root of Thanksgiving has been traded for all of the tangibles that go into this day.


In a blink (or an outburst, or a short temper, or a failed moment), we are overflowing alright...but it is not with thankfulness.


Sometimes it is a Bible verse that the Lord "uses" to wake me up from my pride, pity, or lack-of-thankfulness, but today it was Peppermint Patty.


Have you watched "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" lately? Basically, Peppermint Patty, a friend of Charlie Brown's, invites herself and a bunch of others over to Charlie Brown's house on Thanksgiving for dinner. It wasn't Charlie Brown's idea, and nor does he know how he will provide a meal for the group...but he does. Out of love and friendship, and with some Snoopy-assistance, he creates a feast of toast, popcorn, pretzels and jelly beans.


But Peppermint Patty is not living her life in Christ, she is not rooted and built up in Him, and she is definitely not overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7), and so she tells Charlie Brown off about his inadequate and un-Thanksgiving feast.


Oops.  I wish we didn't have so many features in common with with a comic strip character, but we do...when we are not continuing to live in Christ, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as we were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).  


Lord, help us to understand these verses today.  And beyond the spread of food on the table, help us to ingest Your Word.  And while our bellies may get full, may our spirits overflow with thankfulness for the true bounty that we have in You and in those that we share today with.  Amen. 


Again, sometimes the Bible states things most clearly, but God can use anything to make His point in our lives--and "Marcie" at Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving table does a wonderful job at summing up today for all of us: “Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck....Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by ‘Thanksgiving,’ Charlie Brown.”


Yes, I think that is what they mean by "Thanksgiving".


May we realize all that we HAVE to be thankful for today, and may we be overflowing with thankfulness, not for what is on the table today, but for those who are gathered around it with us, and also in memory of those who have filled the seats in years past.


Out of love and friendship, and with some Jesus-assistance, may we overflow with the intangible thankfulness of Thanksgiving and not get caught-up or entangled-in the tangibles.  


So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, (7) rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).


Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com


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