Matt.22: 1-4; Phil. 4: 1-9    Living with Thanksgiving      E            Oct. 9, 2005

1. How can I live with thanksgiving in a world full of violence and suffering?  That could have been the question of our neighbour down the street or a person that Paul was writing to in Philippi. Horrible things do happen in nature, to our health or our friends and family.  We?re worried about our partners, our parents, the children in our lives, our friends, our neighbours in the world, our work.  Sometimes the load seems too heavy to bear.

2. Our story from Exodus is an excellent example of what happens when we concentrate on those worries!   They made a big mistake.  Huge.  Moses, the leader of the people was gone for a long time.  Supposedly talking to God.  The people got very worried, and began to think that maybe God was going to leave them too. Losing trust in both God and Moses, the people ask Aaron to fashion something more tangible to believe in.  Some thing they can really count on.  Then things really got worse.

3. The Philippians wanted an easy fix too.  They were living in a Roman colony.  If enemies threatened them, they could expect the emperor?s forces to ?save? them.  They even called the emperor ?Saviour.?  Paul is very clear.  Their saviour comes not from Rome, but God.  Who they are, what they have to give thanks for, comes from their identity in that saviour, Jesus Christ.  They are to stand firm, celebrate that relationship.

4. But how, when life is so difficult?  First an antidote for the cynicism and depression that follows too easily when we focus on the terrible things that happen.  Paul says pray, rejoice, and keep our minds on all that is truly good.  It seems our minds have only so much space.  So we need ways to displace worries by filling our minds with other things.  Making new habits.  How long does it take to make a new habit?  A month?  So we?re only one month away from worry if that?s our burden of choice to giving thanks.  Concentrate Paul says on the things that are good, lovely, pleasing, right.  We?ve talked before about putting clues around to remind us to give thanks.  So our little corn kernels today can be another reminder.  Put the card or the seeds in a dish where we?ll see them many times in a day.  And give thanks for the wonderful people God sends to help and enjoy.

5. Paul then encourages them to help his loyal co-workers, the women Euodia and Syntyche and also Clement.  They are equal partners in the work of the gospel.  Helping one another is another way to prevent cynicism and despair.  Not just one or two helping the rest.  And paying it forward ? giving to someone else not needing to pay back exactly the same to the same person.  Of course, we work for balance.  For some who give and give, asking for and accepting help is our growing edge to being healthy and thankful.

6. Another good displacement tool for worry and despair is prayer.  ?In everything by prayer with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.?  There are many forms of prayer: chanting or singing; devotional books; writing prayers; movement such as dance, tai chi, yoga or labyrinth; or focusing on a candle, picture, or cross, and in the quiet, listening to God speak.

7. In our gory parable in Matthew, we have another example of the desperate times the people of his time were living in.  Their answer to everything was to kill everyone after you made them really suffer.  Jesus? consistent message is you need to be ready to be a disciple, and that all ? good and bad are called.  The choice however is up to us if we will respond. 

8. What does it mean for us to be a disciple?  To be saved?  If I asked you are you a disciple, what would you say?  Can you give an unqualified yes?  A disciple is simply one who seeks to follow Jesus.  We could say that couldn?t we?  But what about that difficult ?s? word?  Saved.  I was chopping vegetable for a salad during a visit last week.  You never know what will happen on a visit!  One of the people mentioned he?d been on a fishing trip recently where they?d been discussing whether he was saved!  Not something he?d ever thought about.  One man was sure Ed was.  He wasn?t at all sure.  Neither was his wife.  She thought he?d know.  Something changed for her when she joined the church.  She knew.  The man who was so sure, said it was because Ed was such a good man.  Is that what it means to be saved?  That would mean that we could earn salvation.  Jesus and Paul were very clear that God?s love and grace could not be earned.  They are a gift.  I think the root meaning of salvation might help our understanding.  It means whole, healthy, in good relationship, at peace.  If our friend was asked is he whole, healthy, in good relationship ? to God, to anyone, including himself, he would likely say no.  Definitely not at peace.  Not because those gifts aren?t offered, but because he hasn?t been able to receive them yet.  The blocks to receiving are quite different for all of us, born out of our different heredity, experiences and personalities.  And we?re never perfectly whole any more than perfectly anything.  But we are on our way.

9. Of course it doesn?t mean we?re never sad or angry or grieving.  We are wonderfully human.  But we can be honest and acknowledge what we?re feeling.  But then what do we focus on?  I talked often with a man in the years following the death of his beloved wife of many years.  Especially on their anniversary, her birthday, special occasions.  I?d ask how he was doing that day.  He?d say, ?Oh good.  Of course I miss her, but I?m spending time thinking about how thankful I am for all the good times we had.  It?s what gets me through.?

10. So we can all give thanks, especially that we are on the journey of salvation.  Because it gives life meaning and joy.  And we make that way more possible by prayer, focusing on things to give thanks for and rejoicing with God.  We don?t need to wait for the right time and circumstances to rejoice.  God is inviting us, this very moment to live in greater joy and love.