Gratitude: A Pathway to Unity and Hope

Gratitude on this day is particularly important because it reminds us of the one in whom we hope and where uh the actual ability to change and save the world and the human race rests. So I want to start by reading a few words from Psalm 33: Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise Him. [00:01:10]

No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength, it cannot save. But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. Our hope is in God, and we are grateful because God is good and God is able. [00:02:02]

Politics is a very significant and important sphere of life, but it is only one sphere, and it's not the ultimate one. A sociologist, James David Hunter, wrote a book called "To Change the World." One of the striking observations he makes in that book is that when a society is healthy and vibrant, it has many different spheres that are quite robust: art, philanthropy, education, religion. [00:02:52]

When a society begins to fracture and fragment and become fragile and unhealthy, everybody gravitates to political power. Why would that happen? It's because politics is the only sphere that has access to coercive power. If you get political power, then you can make people do what you want. You don't have to change their minds or touch their hearts; you could just force them. [00:03:26]

More and more, the people in their churches have a more primary identity from political affiliation than from spiritual affiliation or connection to Jesus. And so they get quite suspicious in the church, and they think that the choice of every sermon is really a political message about am I on this or am I on that side. [00:04:41]

There is a good reason why Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world," and why when he was offered a crown, he refused it. Because ultimately, as we've talked about before, the core, what is central to a person, is the heart or the will, the ability to choose, and you cannot coerce that. [00:05:08]

The practice of Thanksgiving has been most meaningful for our nation when life has been the hardest, not the easiest. That first Thanksgiving was observed after the pilgrims had come over, and the first year they had to spend the winter mostly on the boat. By the time they had their first New England spring, less than half of those who came on the Mayflower had survived. [00:05:56]

Lincoln's humility and part of what made Lincoln quite remarkable, I think, is the combination of a remarkably strong, tenacious will coupled with a deep sense of humility. He was quite famous for often poking fun at himself for how homely he was. He would tell stories like a woman came up to him one time and said, "You're the homeliest man I have ever seen." [00:07:48]

There's a real connection between humility and the capacity for gratitude because it's only the humble that say, "I'm not entitled. I didn't earn or merit this by my great good looks or charisma or gifts or intelligence. God, this is a gift. This world is a gift." So, in the midst of the Civil War, Lincoln issued a proclamation. [00:08:43]

We have been recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven. We have been preserved these many years in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us. [00:09:32]

Today, we humble ourselves. I didn't deserve, earn, merit the gift of life, the gift of friends, supremely the gift of Jesus, who is the only one that can save. Today, in a day when lots of people will be emotionally elated or cast down because of circumstances in the human realm, today let's be grateful. [00:10:47]

There is one who sits on the throne, who governs the affairs of this world, who holds us in his hands, who loves red states and blue states, loves people of every kind, in whose care we live. As Quig used to say, we have lots to be grateful for. [00:11:17]