That would be enough

Scripture. Psalm 100. NRSV

1 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.

2 Worship the LORD with gladness; 

come into his presence with singing.

3 Know that the LORD is God. 

It is he that made us, and we are his; 

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise. 

Give thanks to him, bless his name.

5 For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, 

and his faithfulness to all generations.

*************************************************

Good morning.  It is Thanksgiving Sunday.  Usually Thanksgiving brings to mind traveling, spending time with family and friends, maybe helping to serve a meal to those who don’t have anywhere to celebrate.  Giant turkeys.  We focus on all the blessings we are thankful for, the things we have received during the year. . .

In 2020, things are not as they usually are.  We are not supposed to gather in large groups, so those big family dinners probably aren’t going to happen live and in person.  Which may actually be a relief for some of you, depending on your family.  You won’t have to worry about family arguments over politics, religion, or who makes the best green bean casserole.  Or masks.   Even Black Friday is going to be different this year.  I don’t do Black Friday shopping so I don’t care, but a lot of people do and they will miss it.  Retailers will miss it.  

Speaking of family arguments, you may be involved in the annual discussion over when to put up the Christmas Decorations.  Or you might be one of those folks who has decided to put yours up extra early this year, because we need that - we need the sparkles and the lights and the joy, and even the glitter right now.  IF you are one of those and you took pictures or videos during the process or when you finished,  please send some pix to Jordan this week.  (Mine will be going up later this afternoon.) Also - if you want to help decorate the church - be there next Saturday November 28 at 10 am wearing your favorite mask.

This year, 2020, has been - how do I say this politely? . . .  2020 has been a year full of anger and arguments, social unrest, political turmoil, and Covid19, which itself has caused some of that anger. 12 million Americans have tested positive for Covid.  254,000 have died.  Small businesses are failing, tens of millions are unemployed, food banks are overwhelmed, all charitable organizations are overwhelmed, and there is no help in sight.  We can’t gather for worship, and we really miss that.  We are so tired of staying home!  And let’s not forget the huge, record setting, deadly wildfires and hurricanes and tornados. Apart from the nationwide and worldwide crises, we are going through individual trials and challenges which may or may not have been exacerbated by the pandemic.  How on earth are we supposed to be thankful with all of that going on?  

We are not the first to ask that question.  The exiles in Babylon described the feeling in Psalm 137.  “ . . . our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy.  How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in foreign land?”  They had trouble seeing hope, seeing any way forward. They felt as if what they were going through was going to last forever.  It wasn’t, and the prophets tried to tell them that.  The prophets tried to tell them repeatedly that when the time was right, a savior would come along and liberate them from captivity.  We know that all the people of Israel were exceptionally bad at listening to the prophets.  But seriously, no one in the history of the universe who’s going through stuff wants to hear, “This too shall pass.”   From anybody.  Ever. 

But . . . in 2020, in this terrible horrible no good very bad year, this congregation has welcomed new babies and celebrated a couple of weddings and enjoyed some pretty excellent worship services on YouTube. This congregation has demonstrated our love for one another by putting health first, even though we long to be together, abiding by the restrictions imposed by the State and County.  This congregation has continued to feed the hungry, and has reached out to the homebound in new ways.  And in the pandemic - because of the pandemic, animal adoptions have risen.  People need companionship and if they can’t get out and others can’t come in, bringing a fur baby into the house fills that need for the human, and saves the life of the animal.

When we look over our own lives and situations, there is so much to be grateful for, even in 2020.  I think you all know I am in the habit of writing a gratitude list daily.  Aubrey also does a gratitude list, which she posts on Facebook, and I am grateful that she does.  Some days I whip through 10 items I am grateful for as fast as I can type.  Some days each thing takes forever to come up with.  On those days when I struggle, I often write down those things that I kind of take for granted most of the time.  I woke up today. I live indoors. Clean clothes.  My needs are met. I can read. Coffee (Always. Always coffee).  I am grateful for the people in my life whom I can call when I need help.  I can pray. Not one of those things is caused by or in any way affected by Covid19, climate change, politics or any of the other. 

One of the drawbacks to recording these messages in my living room is the lack of .... well, you.  Sometimes I feel that lack more than other times.  Today is one of those times when I really miss having you right there (pointing to spot in front of me).

Because today, on Thanksgiving Sunday, we are celebrating all the things that we have received.  Today our reading is Psalm 100 . . . and Psalm 100 tells us that God is good.

Now, I know that if we were together in the sanctuary, and I said God is good, some of you would say All the time.  And when I said, all the time, you would say God is good.  I might have to repeat that a few times to encourage you to speak up as if you really mean it, but you would respond.  Because God IS good . . . all the time. And if that was all we knew about God  . . . that would be enough for us to be singing God’s praises.

But we know more than that.  We know that God made us.  And we are God’s people.

We know that God is the shepherd and we are the sheep of God’s pasture.

And that would be enough for us to enter the gates of the Kingdom with thanksgiving.

But we know more than that.  We know that God’s steadfast love lasts for ever, and God’s faithfulness extends to all generations.  And that would be enough for us to enter God’s courts with praise.

We know even more than that.  We know that God so loves the world that Jesus was sent to live among us, to teach us about God’s love and forgiveness, to demonstrate God’s Grace, to prove God’s power over everything - even death.  And that would be enough to lift our voices and bless God’s name so that the whole world could hear.

Ok, I know y’all are just waiting for me to say it . . . But wait, there’s more! 

There is SO much more. The blessings poured out upon us by God’s hands are without measure.  When we are aware of them and grateful for them, we are living in God’s house, God’s courts, God’s kingdom.  And one day in God’s house is so much better than thousands of days anywhere else.  On this Thanksgiving Sunday, give thanks and praise to the Lord, Come into God’s house with joyful songs, for God is good . . .  all the time.