Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Psalm 107:1 (ESV) Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
THAT REMINDS ME
As the foods at the Passover table were reminders for Old Testament Israel of God's wondrous acts of deliverance on their behalf, we can use the food on our Thanksgiving tables to remind us of other rich blessings of God associated with, but not limited to, Thanksgiving gatherings.
Two come to my mind. You will probably think of others.
Olives -- remind me of a poetic picture in Psalm 128: "When you eat the labor of your hands, You shall be happy, and it shall be well with you. Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine In the very heart of your house, Your children like olive plants All around your table. Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears the Lord" (1-4).
Here's the natural phenomenon: The roots of the olive tree fan out from its base and are not far from the surface of the soil. From these roots all around the tree, seedlings sprout, like children around a table. Among the richest blessings of people who trust in the Lord are warm and loving family relationships.
Wine -- We do not drink wine very often at our house, but it seems natural at special celebrations like Thanksgiving or Christmas. In Psalm 104 we read: "The LORD causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth, And wine that makes glad the heart of man" (14-15).
Wine makes glad the heart. This is true because a good wine is a special treat. It's even more true because we associate wine with celebrations; with joy and happiness.
Tomorrow at your Thanksgiving table drink in the joy of being together with loved ones, the joy of memories shared and memories being made.
And remember, this too is a gift of the Lord, the Lord you praise when you pray:
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his mercy (steadfast love) endures forever!
