In
the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
“The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless
us.” So we sang in the Psalm
earlier. Indeed, the earth has yielded its increase. Harvest has
taken place, the fruits of the labor have been stored away, and plans
have been made for the profits. Things are good, and now it is time
for a winter of rest, while you plan for next year. God shall bless
us.
On the face of it, things seem rosy and cheery. Even the pagans
around us stop and celebrate Thanksgiving, even if only by
presidential proclamation. The people of our nation give thanks, even
if they have no idea to whom they offer their thanks. American civil
religion sees its holy day of obligation fulfilled. All is quiet on
the home front, except perhaps on the football field.
However, to whom is thanks due? What good is a day of national
thanksgiving if no one knows to whom we render it? Even Christians
are tempted to fall into the trap of sappy, Hallmark-card
sentimentality around this time of year. Things are great, and so God
is happy with us. We like God, and so He likes us. He blesses us,
while those other naughty people starve and go to hell. We give
thanks for big turkeys, smooth gravy, and the caffeine that will
power us through all the Black Friday insanity. At least for this
week, God is an American, a capitalist, and a faceless, benevolent
force.
