Joshua 1:3; Philippians 1:20

A Spiritual Fitness message from the ROA National Chaplain

The New Year has arrived.  Ready or not, 2021 is here.

With its arrival comes hope, anticipation, unknown, curiosity, and the sense that the “New” will be even better than the one just left behind. Some may feel apprehension or anxiety. The yearning for something better is always with us depending upon our focus. That yearning is a gift from God to us. The Scriptures repeatedly proclaim God’s desire for the year ahead as our best yet. In order for such a reality, our focus is toward Him for our source and strength.   

He has placed in His Word words such as fulfillment, hope, new, and renew. With God comes the word the future can be better than the present. The message from God throughout both the Old and the New Testament was for His followers to turn their faces toward Him and the future, evidenced by confidence and expectation. 

When Moses met God, the assurance was that Moses was there for more than defeat but to lead under the direction of God. When Joshua met God, he was to lead toward a new land.  When David met God, David was hardly known but God walked before him into the role of a king. When Saul of Tarsus met God, he was to go forward with a message and mission. A search of the Scriptures reveals God that wants to make all things new. 

The amazing and most fulfilling facts about God’s proclamations are that he uses people like you and me-or Moses, David, Joshua, Saul of Tarsus. We turn our face toward Him.  It means we do not find the resources within us but from God.  We need resources that are fresh and new from Him.  The true “newness” comes from beyond ourselves.  Walking with God is a privilege providing His input of new resources for the tasks before us. With the presence of God comes all sorts of proper possibilities. 

The Scriptures provide multitudes of evidence of this truth. 

A Spiritual Fitness message from the ROA National Chaplain
PSALM 100; Hebrews 13:15

Greetings,

November holds numerous religious and national days, named for and anchored in, our history. They are special times acknowledged by both our Congress of the United States of America and various religious identities. 

Such days span from our time established right for fair and honest voting for government officials to recognizing special military times, treaties and triumphs to celebrations and honor from our Judeo-Christian heritage. We have just commemorated the Quadricentennial of Plymouth Rock (www.400th.org) and now we enter into a day and time of Thanksgiving.  

Thanksgiving is one such day acknowledged as both a religious and civil/national day. 

Thanksgiving has roots in the Old Testament when those of Jewish faith celebrated Sukkoth and the Feast of Tabernacles recognizing a time of the harvest of foods and grain, as well as God’s provision with praise and thanksgiving. 

The early pilgrims brought with them the foundational teaching of such religious beliefs acknowledging God’s care and provision crossing the threatening ocean from Europe to this new-found country.  They too established a time of thanks to God for their harvest of food and grain. 

Later, the first president of these United States, George Washington, shared a Thanksgiving Proclamation for God’s provision, encouraging all who would to honor God for His care and intervention (October 3,1789).  

They had planted their crops, tended their seeds, watched them grow and reaped the harvest. While the exact date has varied from those Old Testament times, it has always been a holy time marking the end of the growing season and harvest of grain, fruits, nuts, vegetables; gathered for the changing season and onset of fall and winter.

Congress eventually established the day as it is now-the last Thursday of the month of November. From Old Testament times until this current year, the nuclear families and individuals have enjoyed a time of celebration and giving thanks to God for His care toward life, liberty, health and joy. This does not mean that there have been no negatives.  In fact, just the opposite is often the rule. 

God is not a magic wand simply waved and things disappear. This Psalm is expressed as “Praise for the Sacrifice (or offering) of confession”.

The worship of God is to relieve human misery and make mankind happy (v.2). Often, it is in adverse times that we acknowledge where we may be without Him. 

There will always be “storms” in this present life for it is sprinkled with troubled people, disease, greed and seekers of power.

Days of thanksgiving can aid in avoiding bitterness, selfishness and limited solutions to life’s frustrations.  

Psalm 100 has been labeled as the Psalm of Thanksgiving. Reading it, we find God is our friend to embrace, not an enemy to fight.

Thanksgiving Day has many components among which are feasts, football and festive parades.  

There is more, and Psalm 100 is filled with praise, thanksgiving in public as well as private worship.  Each of the five short verses give us guidance. 

This day is our day of gratitude acknowledging to our family and friends that God gives benefits to all. I am responsible to practice proper stewardship of His generosity toward me.  Thanksgiving 2020 is like no other in this present generation. 

I am reminded of this day in years past when military service separated me from my family, loved ones and friends. Thanksgiving then, was celebrated among strangers in a land new to me but my teaching prompted me of the meaning of Thanksgiving Day. 

Reflection triggered for me the reality of a bountiful harvest of His benefits in a very real and different environment. I was prompted keep “the main thing the main thing” during Thanksgiving. There were enough less than perfect circumstances to distract me from the real meaning of the day. I was reminded also that I had planted, did my best to care for the growth and was looking to God for the harvest.  

I had my Bible, Prayer Book and my hymn book—and a grateful heart. This year we gather, honor and celebrate with thanksgiving under restriction laws, recommendations, suggestions, limited numbers and threat of a world-wide disease (with vaccinations in record time underway). 

The date is set, and the tradition is well established in history, so can we still thank God for all His benefits and pray for this unseen enemy to pass?  May I invite you to read Psalm 100 and Hebrews 13:15 keeping the main thing the main thing?