Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24, 2022. It is turkey and dressing, sweet potato casserole, pumpkin pie and lots of other good “fixings.” It is a time of family get togethers. It is a time of remembering. It is a time of counting our blessings. It is a time of coming home. It is a great emphasis on happiness in the midst of difficulties.
Speaking of difficulties, let’s note what the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come” (2 Timothy 3:1). Then he proceeds to tell why that is the case: “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power…” (2 Timothy 3:2-5).
Note his listing of what will be loved in these difficult times: Lovers of self, lovers of money, lovers of pleasure.
Then he adds two more we need to consider: Disobedient to parents and ungrateful. I know that all the words Paul used to describe the difficult times are words we need to heed. But these three descriptions of what is loved and being disobedient to parents and ungrateful really stand out to me.
Thanksgiving 2022! It is a National Holiday! It is the one time a year our country pauses to give thanks for the price that has been paid for the freedoms we enjoy. As a citizen of these United States of America, am I, are you grateful or ungrateful? What do I love? Is it self, money or pleasure? Do my parents see me as a loving, obedient son or daughter?
As stated above, this is a great season of our year. As we count our blessings, let’s also check our priorities. What kind of course is my life on? Where am I headed? And remember the God we serve is the God of a new start. As long as there is life it is never to late to start over. God is waiting!
Happy Thanksgiving one and all!
— Les Ferguson Sr.,
S. Huntington Church of Christ
