A Time to Give Thanks

Life is futile. We’re all just chasing the wind. These sentiments, expressed so forcibly in the book of Ecclesiastes, seem oh-so-modern.

In the church I pastor, we are studying Ecclesiastes together, only to discover that Solomon is tugging on a thread present in all of us who live life under the sun. Amidst all the malaise, Solomon gropes in the dark for answers. And eventually, he finds them. In a beautiful meditation on time, the Hebrew Philosopher-King waxed poetic when he declared that there is a time for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

Fourteen times, Solomon contrasted the sheer variety of life. Birth and death. Tearing and building. Weeping and laughing. Mourning and dancing. War and peace. These are the universal constants of the human experience, the highs and lows that we inevitably face in this life under the sun.

Solomon had experienced many of these moments. He knew that time was a gift, and that we move relentlessly through time, inching closer to our Creator. And so, he calls us to embrace the good gifts of our God. He told us to “rejoice and enjoy the good life” (Ecclesiastes 3:12). He said that food and drink are gifts from God (Ecclesiastes 3:13) and that we have the freedom to enjoy them.

“Even when the night seems darkest, let’s express our gratitude to the God who pierces the dark with the Light of the World.”

2024 has been a hard year for many. We have faced stubborn inflation, controversial elections, and downsizing. We have watched as doubters doubted, as leaders fell, and as simple things became complex.

I know it sounds trite, but I think Solomon would tell us to pause this week. To catch our breath. To eat turkey. To spend time with those we love. And to choose thanksgiving. He would remind us that the highs and lows are all a part of life. And we are not in charge of that; God is. But we do get to enjoy his good gifts, which include food and drink, enjoyed with family and friends.

In his excellent book Gratitude, Cornelius Plantinga said, “Grateful people savor things. They receive these things as gifts.” What gifts have you received this year? Amidst all the upheaval, let’s give thanks. Even when the night seems darkest, let’s express our gratitude to the God who pierces the dark with the Light of the World.

A Hebrew Poet would no doubt remind us that there is a time for everything. This week, no matter what we face, it’s time to give thanks.